Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight, talks about his personal growth journey, including therapy and exploring religion. He discusses the mystique of Sand Hill Road, un-measurable marketing, and his experience with venture capitalists. The episode covers the importance of genuine values in companies, the immigrant mindset, and building a human-first company culture. Mehta also reflects on selling his previous company and analyzing CEOs' time with CODA.
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Quick takeaways
Authenticity and embracing individuality can lead to personal and professional growth.
Clear understanding and genuine adherence to company values are crucial for organizational success.
Entrepreneurs face challenges such as self-doubt and fear of failure, and empathy and support are essential.
Deep dives
Importance of Values and Culture
The podcast episode discusses the significance of culture and values in organizations. It emphasizes the importance of having a clear understanding of company values and ensuring they are ingrained in the company's identity. It highlights the negative impact when CEOs don't remember their company's values or when values are not genuinely followed.
Impact of Authenticity
The podcast explores the power of being authentic and true to oneself. It shares personal experiences of the speaker, indicating that being true to oneself and embracing individuality can lead to personal and professional growth. The speaker discusses the importance of authenticity in company culture, allowing employees to feel more connected and inspired.
Challenges and Doubts in Startup Journey
The podcast touches upon the challenges and doubts that arise during the startup journey. It acknowledges the mental and emotional hurdles that entrepreneurs face, including self-doubt, fear of failure, and questioning their capabilities. The speaker shares personal anecdotes and offers empathy to entrepreneurs navigating these difficulties.
The Evolution and Discovery of Self
The podcast delves into the concept of self-discovery and personal growth. The speaker reflects on their own journey of self-discovery, starting with feelings of not fitting in to eventually gaining confidence and embracing their true self. The importance of self-awareness, therapy, and introspection is highlighted in the process of understanding one's motivations and finding a sense of purpose.
The Value of Customer Interaction
The host discusses the importance of spending time with customers and prospects, citing personal experience. They highlight how valuable it is to learn from customer interactions, share insights with the team, and develop brand ambassadors.
Reflecting on Identity and Post-Company Plans
The host and guest delve into the potential challenges of transitioning from a high-pressure CEO role to a quieter, post-company life. They discuss the need to find purpose beyond work, explore other interests, and maintain a sense of identity. The guest shares his interest in philosophy and science as a source of intellectual engagement outside of the business world.
Gainsight CEO Nick Mehta describes himself as “the person who goes all in, on whatever.” So when he had a personally difficult year, he didn’t just go to therapy — he also talked to a professional coach, and read about religion, and experimented with (legal) ketamine therapy. All of that led to him “better understanding the inner self ... [and] helping to find ways to suppress the exterior.” In other words, even though Gainsight’s culture is suffused with Nick’s values, he is consciously trying to unpack a “new version of myself” that is greater than his company: “There’s a lot more to me than I realized,” he says.
In this episode, Nick and Joubin discuss Mike Moritz, golf clubs, Don Valentine, eclectic fashion, loneliness, Enneagram types, setting the tone, moments of vulnerability, Vista Equity Partners, talking to customers, Jack Dorsey, building others’ brands, startups as kids, Marc Benioff, and the ship of Theseus.
In this episode, we cover:
The mystique of Sand Hill Road (00:58)
Un-measurable marketing (05:07)
Launching Chipshot.com (09:17)
I-banking culture and fitting in (13:14)
Getting help after a rough year (19:48)
Immigrant achievers and the meaning of work (21:32)
Fueling success and belief in institutions (24:44)
Winning while being human-first (30:19)
Founder-defined values and culture (3 5:41)
What happened to Chipshot? (40:46)
Empathy for all entrepreneurs (44:11)
Growing & selling LiveOffice (46:03)
The new Nick (48:53)
Selling Gainsight for $1.1 billion (51:56)
Coda and time management (55:20)
Ghost notes (59:01)
When the spotlight goes away (01:02:17)
Philosophy and science books (01:05:45)
Deleting work apps every weekend (01:09:23)
Who Gainsight is hiring and what “grit” means to Nick (01:10:26)