The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

20VC: Lessons from Mark Zuckerberg, Keith Rabois & Tobi Lütke | Why Remote is a Bad Idea for 90% of Companies | The Framework for How Shopify Builds Product Today | What Humans Get Wrong About Marriage and Kids with Kaz Nejatian, COO @ Shopify

Aug 14, 2024

Kaz Nejatian, Shopify’s VP of Product & COO, shares valuable insights from his experiences at Facebook and with industry leaders like Mark Zuckerberg, Keith Rabois, and Tobi Lütke. He critiques the 'Lean Startup' model and its impacts on software quality while emphasizing why developing internal tools is vital for product excellence. Kaz also discusses the complexities of remote work and hiring, along with the surprising truths about marriage's influence on success. His perspectives offer a fresh take on achieving greatness in both business and personal life.

01:03:05

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Kaz Nejatian

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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Kaz Nejatian emphasizes the importance of product quality over rushing to market, arguing that the Lean Startup philosophy has led to subpar software.

Successful product managers at Shopify must understand both 'how' and 'what' in software development to create efficient and effective products.

Kaz expresses doubts about remote work's effectiveness for most companies, advocating for in-person collaboration to enhance teamwork and operational efficiency.

Deep dives

The Importance of Building Quality Software

Building software that users can trust begins with a strong emphasis on quality and vision. Kaz Natashaian argues that the Lean Startup methodology has led to a proliferation of subpar software products, as companies rush to release incomplete versions for testing. This trend results in a frustrating user experience, as many products currently available cannot deliver the value they promise. Instead, he advocates for a culture that embraces completing a product to a high standard before launching, ensuring that users receive a reliable and enjoyable experience.

Celebrate Vision, Combat Misconceptions

01:21

Lessons from Tobi Lutke

01:26

Partnerships Propel Innovation

01:21

Question Conventional Wisdom

01:29

Intro

4min

Vision and Quality in Tech Development

9min

Navigating Inefficiencies in Business Software and Embracing Constructive Disagreement

2min

The Learner's Mindset at Shopify

5min

Navigating Change in Tech: Lessons from Industry Leaders

17min

The Power of Internal Tools and Partnerships

8min

Marriage, Success, and Misconceptions

15min

Gratitude and Game-Changing Solutions for Businesses

3min

Kaz Nejatian is Shopify’s VP of Product & Chief Operating Officer. Before Shopify, Kaz founded Kash, a payment technology company which was acquired in 2017 by one of the largest fintech companies in the U.S. Kaz then served as Product Lead for Payments and Billing at Facebook, reducing the barriers for businesses in cash-dependent markets to purchase digital ads without a credit card.

In Today's Episode with Kaz Nejatian We Discuss:

1. Learnings From the Greats:

Mark Zuckerberg: What are Kaz's biggest lessons from working with Zuck? Why does Kaz believe Zuck is massively under-appreciated?
Keith Rabois: What are Kaz's biggest lessons from working with Keith? How did it change how he operates on a day to day basis?
Tobi Lütke: What have been Kaz's biggest lessons from working with Tobi? What has he changed most significantly since working with Tobi?

2. Shopify: Why We Build Our Own Tools:

Why does Kaz believe it is crucial for Shopify to build their own tools?
When did he doubt this strategy most? What caused him to question it?
Why does Kaz believe the Stripe Shopify partnership is the most important in business?
What is the role of a PM at Shopify?
Why do Shopify focus on how not what product is built?

3. Eight Truths The Startup World Gets Wrong:

Why does Kaz believe "The Lean Startup" has done more damage than any other startup book?
Why does Kaz believe that 90% of companies do not know what they want when they hire?
Why does Kaz believe the way that companies pay their staff is totally wrong?
Why does Kaz believe that most companies pick fights they do not need to pick?
Why does Kaz believe that for 90% of companies remote work is a terrible idea?
Why does Kaz believe that everyone in sales and marketing should be able to code?
Why does Kaz believe that married people with kids are more, not less productive?
Why does Kaz believe that we totally misunderstand divorce rates?

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The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

20VC: Lessons from Mark Zuckerberg, Keith Rabois & Tobi Lütke | Why Remote is a Bad Idea for 90% of Companies | The Framework for How Shopify Builds Product Today | What Humans Get Wrong About Marriage and Kids with Kaz Nejatian, COO @ Shopify

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Importance of Building Quality Software

The Significance of Prioritizing How Over What

Navigating Remote Work Challenges

The Value of Internal Tools and Systems

Embracing Change and Learning as Core Values

Celebrate Vision, Combat Misconceptions

Lessons from Tobi Lutke

Partnerships Propel Innovation

Question Conventional Wisdom

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts