Navigating Organizational Evolution and Successful Exits in the Startup World

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This chapter explores the transition from a flat startup structure to a more traditional hierarchy, the significance of titles in Silicon Valley, and the emotional implications of organizational changes. It delves into the decision-making process behind founding, growing, and ultimately selling a successful startup for $875 million. The founder shares reflections on past decisions, retirement, and motivations for starting a new venture.

This week, Tracy Young launched her second startup, TigerEye, from stealth mode. After selling PlanGrid to Autodesk for $875 million and working with YC for a couple of years, Tracy and her husband/co-founder decided to build the software they wished they’d had while building PlanGrid. In our conversation, Tracy unmasks her vision for TigerEye and shares everything she learned as a first time CEO that she’s bringing into her second company.

(00:00) Intro

(01:39) The Shift in Market Dynamics and PlanGrid's Response

(07:07) The Importance of Addressing Multiple Stakeholders in Product Development

(09:08) From PlanGrid to TigerEye: Tracy Young's New Venture

(11:39) The Significance of Organizational Structure and Team Dynamics

(15:03) The Evolution of Sales Strategy and Team Structure

(17:28) The Decision to Sell PlanGrid and Its Aftermath

(24:17) The Genesis of TigerEye and Its Mission

(31:09) Cultivating a Purposeful Company Culture at TigerEye

(39:29) Recruitment Strategies and the Value of Reference Calls

(45:42) Product Development Insights and Market Focus

(49:39) The Importance of Customer Tracking for Startups

(49:57) The Challenges of Scaling with CRM and ERP Systems

(51:55) Navigating the Tough Decisions of Firing Employees

(57:08) The Journey from Construction Engineering to Tech Entrepreneurship

(57:42) The Birth and Growth of PlanGrid

(01:01:24) Navigating Personal and Professional Growth

(01:05:50) The Emotional Journey of Losing a Co-Founder

(01:17:34) From Stealth Mode to Market Impact with Tiger Eye

(01:18:31) Embracing Remote Work and Building a Diverse Team

(01:30:15) Reflections on Fundraising and Board Meetings

(01:34:28) Finding Work-Life Balance in Startup Culture

Executive Producer: Rashad Assir

Producer: Leah Clapper

Mixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky

Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

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About the Show

Logan Bartlett is a Software Investor at Redpoint Ventures - a Silicon Valley-based VC with $6B AUM and investments in Snowflake, DraftKings, Twilio, and Netflix. In each episode, Logan goes behind the scenes with world-class entrepreneurs and investors. If you're interested in the real inside baseball of tech, entrepreneurship, and start-up investing, tune in every Friday for new episodes.