The High Flyers Podcast with Vidit Agarwal #217 Elena Verna: Leading Growth at Lovable (the World’s Fastest-Growing Startup today, Reaching $100M in 8 Months)
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Jul 30, 2025 Elena Verna, a growth advisor to tech startups and current head of growth at Lovable, shares her incredible journey from Russia to America. She discusses her surprising transition from aspiring dance instructor to tech leader, overcoming language barriers thanks to cartoons. Elena highlights her experience at SurveyMonkey and emphasizes the importance of adaptability in career growth. She also dives into Lovable's AI integration strategies, balancing structured goals with employee empowerment to drive innovation and efficiency.
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Chasing The SurveyMonkey Breakthrough
- Elena chased a SurveyMonkey job for six months and used an external offer to force their decision.
- That gamble paid off and launched her growth career in tech leading to seven years at SurveyMonkey.
Don't Stay In Your Lane
- Not respecting roles lets you spot and solve problems beyond your assigned work.
- This behavior accelerates impact but requires leaders who tolerate bottom-up challenge.
Be Authentic But Build Relationships
- Be authentic at work and tell employers how you operate to avoid endless persona maintenance.
- Invest in cross-functional relationships to prevent your directness from making enemies.