Investment vs. Operations: A World Apart

This chapter contrasts the operational dynamics of corporate roles with the focused interactions found in investment settings. It explores the challenges of transitioning between these worlds and emphasizes the analytical culture of investment professionals, highlighting the differences in team structures and the importance of precision in financial modeling.

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Today’s guest, Arvind Kadaba, the CFO of Aidoc, started his career as a high-profile investor before transitioning into the role of a CFO. He joins CJ to share his career journey and discuss the challenges he faced in transitioning into an operational role. The conversation explores the “grass is always greener” mentality that drives career shifts, and how to find the right career fit. Arvind describes the evolving landscape of healthcare technology and AI. He emphasizes the need for innovation and how to choose whether to build, buy, or partner to achieve this, giving listeners a masterclass in portfolio theory for operators. He also gives helpful tips for balancing short-term and long-term investments and explaining long-term shareholder value to employees. The episode concludes with Arvind defending his contrarian views that not all businesses should be venture-backed and not all great businesses are tech businesses.

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@cjgustafson222 (CJ)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(02:21) Sponsor – Brex | Vanta | Tropic

(06:59) Transitioning from Investor to Operator

(11:13) The Problem-Specific Nature of Being an Operator

(14:29) Sponsor – RightRev | Planful

(16:39) Personal Product Market Fit

(23:18) “All You Need Is One”

(25:46) How Arvind Decided to Switch Careers