The Capital Stack cover image

The Capital Stack

Bill Horne Turnaround CEO of over 10+ Companies on Why Founders Fail and What to Do About It

Jan 2, 2024
31:52

In this episode, venture capitalist David Paul interviews Bill Horne, a 10-time CEO, the founder of 88 Keys, and an expert in turning around struggling companies. They discuss various aspects of being a fixer for early-stage companies and the challenges that come with it. The conversation covers topics such as the value destruction when founders leave, common mistakes founders make, the importance of operational planning, and managing the board. You can watch/listen to the podcast on YouTubeSpotify, and Apple.

Takeaways

  • Being a fixer for early-stage companies requires reconciling the challenges of working with fragile employees and upset boards.
  • Founders leaving a company can lead to significant value destruction, both from a cultural and industry knowledge perspective.
  • Common mistakes made by founders include a lack of operational planning and attention to detail.
  • Effective operational planning requires a high level of granularity and a clear execution strategy.

Chapters

01:59 Becoming an Adult in the Room

03:18 Becoming the Fixer

05:44 Value Destruction When Founders Leave

07:26 Common Mistakes Founders Make

09:54 The Importance of Operational Planning

10:43 Detail and Execution in Operational Planning

12:33 Time Framing and Check-Ins

14:50 Managing the Board

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode