In this episode, we sit down with Kathryn Minshew, Co-Founder and former CEO of The Muse, to discuss her journey in the tech and entrepreneurship space. She shares her experiences from fundraising challenges and building a team to the crucial leadership lessons she learned along the way.

Kathryn emphasizes the importance of being comfortable with making unpopular decisions and the impact of integrating experienced executives into a growing company. She also delves into her recent adventures in advising companies, investing in Broadway shows, and potentially planning her next entrepreneurial venture.

Takeaways:

Accept That Not Everyone Will Support Your Choices: As a leader, you may have access to information that others don’t, which can lead to misunderstandings. Focus on acting with integrity and staying true to your values.
Encourage Open Dialogue but Know When to Decide: Foster a culture where team members feel comfortable expressing dissenting opinions. However, there comes a time when you must make the final decision and stand by it.
Continuously Reevaluate Leadership Approaches: Regularly assess and refine your leadership strategies. Engage with diverse perspectives through reading, mentoring, or coaching to enrich your approach.
Adopt a Collaborative Mindset: Effective leadership involves seeking advice and fostering collaboration. Welcoming external insights can enhance your decision-making and strengthen your team’s capabilities.
Learn from Setbacks: Challenges and failures can offer valuable lessons. Use feedback from rejections or setbacks to improve your methods and strategies for future success.

Quote of the Show:

“I think culturally we often still want women to be women. Really caring, really kind, really likable… but I also have to make hard calls to run a business. People punish women more when they perceive those things are in conflict.” - Kathryn Minshew

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-minshew/
Twitter: https://x.com/kmin
Website: https://www.kminshew.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kminshew/

Ways to Tune In:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261
Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast

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