Aziz Hasan’s Wild First Day as Kickstarter CEO

Imagine walking into your first day as CEO, ready to lead—only to find out an hour later that your entire workforce is unionizing.

That’s exactly what happened to Aziz Hasan at Kickstarter.

In this episode of Critical Moments, Aziz shares the whirlwind of stepping into the CEO role with no transition, navigating one of the first tech company unionizations, and leading with listening, empathy, and presence instead of panic.

• [00:54] Aziz’s background in product & design before becoming CEO

• [01:49] How Kickstarter’s CEO transition unfolded in real-time

• [06:13] Day one: The email goes out, and everything changes

• [08:46] A second email—Kickstarter’s employees announce their plans to unionize

• [11:25] The executive team’s reaction (and why panic isn’t a strategy)

• [14:49] Why Aziz didn’t react quickly—and why that was the right move

• [25:35] The challenge of a union framework in a mission-driven, PBC startup

• [29:42] His official stance: Not anti-union, but skeptical of the impact

• [39:43] The final vote—and what came next

Aziz’s story is a masterclass in first-time CEO leadership, navigating crises, and making tough calls under pressure.