E87: Balancing Compliance, Culture, and Business Growth with Roxanne Bras Petraeus, CEO of Ethena
Dec 8, 2024
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Roxanne Bras Petraeus, CEO and co-founder of Ethena, shares her incredible journey from military officer to startup leader. She reveals Ethena's strategy that landed clients like Figma and Netflix. The conversation dives into the intricate balance of compliance and workplace culture, emphasizing the importance of effective DEI initiatives. Roxanne discusses the challenges of ensuring fair hiring practices and training that fosters open dialogue and self-reflection. Her insights highlight the ever-evolving dynamics of modern workplaces and the role of compliance in shaping organizational behavior.
Roxanne Bras Petraeus emphasizes the strategic importance of leveraging recognizable clients to validate startups and attract opportunities.
The podcast discusses how evolving employer-employee relationships necessitate strong, consistent organizational cultures amidst market changes.
Roxanne highlights the need for responsive compliance training that adapts to societal standards and involves employee feedback for effectiveness.
Deep dives
Roxanne's Journey to Founding Athena
Roxanne Petraeus, CEO of Athena, shares her unique transition from military officer to startup founder. After serving in Afghanistan and consulting for McKinsey, she identified a significant gap in the compliance training space, which inspired her to launch Athena in 2019. By leveraging her experiences from both military and corporate settings, she aimed to create an engaging and effective training platform. Roxanne emphasizes the importance of adopting innovative strategies to improve outdated training norms rather than accepting them as unchangeable.
Targeting Larger Clients Early On
Athena’s early strategy involved pursuing large, recognizable clients, a common fear for new startups due to potential challenges. Roxanne credits an insightful team member for advocating this approach, which ultimately allowed them to attract high-profile companies like Netflix and Zendesk as clients early in their journey. This calculated risk paid off, as it validated their product and opened doors to more significant opportunities. The team relied on existing networks and strong marketing, such as TechCrunch articles, to make connections and demonstrate credibility.
The Evolving Landscape of Employee-Employer Relations
Roxanne discusses the shifting dynamics of leverage between employees and employers in the job market over recent years. As challenges arose in the economy, control transitioned back to employers, affecting hiring and retention strategies. Companies that maintain strong, ethical cultures post-pandemic are positioned to thrive, despite the chaotic market landscape. Roxanne points out that organizational culture should remain consistent and not overly reactive to shifts in trends, emphasizing the importance of staying true to core values.
Addressing Social Issues Through Corporate Culture
The conversation touches on how companies should take a stance on social issues while maintaining a steady internal culture. Roxanne advocates for transparency regarding the values that guide Athena and the kinds of discussions that should occur within the organization. She believes that leaders should have clear viewpoints on relevant social topics without overwhelming employees with daily commentary. This approach not only establishes an inclusive environment but also attracts like-minded individuals to the company.
The Importance of Compliance in a Changing World
The podcast highlights the complexities of compliance training and the need for responsive, adaptive curricula. Roxanne explains how Athena continuously updates its training materials based on evolving regulations and societal standards, ensuring relevance in a rapidly changing context. An important aspect is involving employees in rating training effectiveness, facilitating improvements based on user feedback. This user-centered approach fosters a more engaging compliance training environment while addressing the diverse needs of an evolving workforce.
Roxanne Bras Petraeus, CEO of Ethena, joins Sam, AJ, and Asad on Topline this week. Roxanne peels back the curtain on Ethena's early success in securing major clients like Figma and Netflix, highlighting the company's strategic approach to client acquisition and effective use of press coverage. The conversation also explores the evolving employer-employee relationship, focusing on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and the importance of fair, systematic processes to address unconscious bias. They then delve into the pivotal role of compliance training in shaping workplace behavior, emphasizing that impactful programs should create space for open dialogue, encourage self-reflection, and strengthen organizational culture overall.
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