This chapter explores the evolution of leadership mindset, emphasizing first principles thinking and the balance between innovation and practicality. It discusses the importance of redefining performance management to enhance productivity and the qualities essential for effective leaders, such as intuition and confidence. The speaker reflects on creating a supportive work environment, promoting open communication, and fostering a culture that values transparency and employee engagement.
Eoghan McCabe is the CEO and cofounder at Intercom, an AI customer service platform. Intercom has raised over $240M, and was last valued at $1.3B in 2018. After spending 9 years building the company, Eoghan left Intercom in 2020, but he’s since returned, reshaping Intercom and pioneering its pivot to an AI-first service. This episode highlights his unabashed takes on leaning into your intuition as a founder, and his perspectives on the critical junctures in company building.
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In today’s episode, we also discuss:
- Eoghan's reflections since leaving Intercom
- The value of intuition and first-principles thinking
- The changes Eoghan made upon returning to Intercom
- How Eoghan increased Intercom's productivity by 41%
- Tactical advice on hiring top talent
- Why you can't make small improvements in big categories
- Crafting a culture of ruthless honesty and transparency
- Why software branding is in crisis
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Referenced:
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Where to find Eoghan:
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Where to find Brett Berson:
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Where to find First Round Capital:
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Timestamps
0:00:00 - Founder intuition vs. standard practice
0:25:00 - Silicon Valley knowledge loops
0:28:13 - Building an executive team
0:36:38 - Eoghan’s return to Intercom
0:42:02 - Transparent and honest leadership
0:46:42 - Changing Intercom’s strategy
0:54:22 - AI and category disruption
1:03:17 - How Intercom thinks about brand
1:10:40 - Eoghan’s inspirations