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20VC: Discord's Jason Citron on Why Everything We are Taught About Hiring & Management is BS | Do Richer Founders & Gamer Founders Make Better Founders? | Never Before Told Moments Behind Scaling to 200M Users
Nov 25, 2024
Jason Citron, Co-founder and CEO of Discord, shares eye-opening insights from scaling the platform to $14.5 billion. He challenges conventional hiring practices, claiming experienced executives could hinder growth. The discussion reveals the surprising truth behind effective leadership styles and highlights the unique advantages gamer founders hold. Citron recounts pivotal moments from his journey, including the decision to decline a $12 billion Microsoft offer and his strategy for communicating with early users, reshaping the company's trajectory.
50:33
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Quick takeaways
- Jason Citron emphasizes that traditional hiring practices, such as bringing in experienced executives, can stall company growth and hinder innovation.
- The podcast discusses how gaming fosters essential leadership skills like adaptability and problem-solving, which can significantly benefit entrepreneurial success.
Deep dives
Management Mistakes During Rapid Growth
The journey of expanding from 200 to 1,000 employees highlighted significant management challenges. The CEO realized that hiring numerous executives and delegating tasks led to stagnation within the company. This experience prompted a reevaluation of established management practices, revealing that terms like 'empowerment' and 'alignment' often masked deeper systemic issues. Ultimately, it became evident that effective management requires active involvement rather than distant delegation.
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