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20VC: Brex's Henrique Dubugras on Advice from Evan Spiegel and Eric Schmidt on CEOship, The Biggest Hiring Mistakes When Scaling, What Everyone Gets Wrong with Product Messaging and When is the Right Time to Launch Secondary Products

Apr 15, 2022

Henrique Dubugras, Founder and CEO of Brex, dives into his journey of building a transformative financial tech platform. He reveals pivotal advice from Evan Spiegel on effective CEO leadership and shares his biggest hiring blunders while emphasizing the art of spotting A* talent. The discussion also explores when to launch secondary products and the importance of keeping product messaging clear amidst growth. Henrique candidly reflects on lessons learned from Brex's rapid expansion and the balance required in navigating the fintech landscape.

34:21

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Episode guests

Henrique Dubugras

Highlights

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Episode notes

How Do I Build Checks and Balances?

01:23

Intro

3min

Navigating Leadership Challenges

13min

Strategic Insights in Fintech Competition

9min

Evolving Perspectives: The Relationship Between Money and Growth

2min

Navigating Ego and Decision-Making

3min

Envisioning the Future of Brex and the Importance of Strategic Tools

3min

Henrique Dubugras is the Founder and CEO @ Brex, the company re-imagining financial systems so every growing company can realize its full potential. To date, Henrique has raised over $1.1BN for Brex from some of the best including Ribbit, Greenoaks, DST, IVP, Caffeinated Capital and Elad Gil to name a few. Henrique is also a board member at Mercado Libre. Prior to co-founding Brex, Henrique co-founded Pagar.me, there he scaled the company to $15BN in GMV and over 100 people before selling the company in 2016.

In Today’s Episode with Henrique Dubugras You Will Learn:

1.) The Founding of Brex:

What was the founding a-ha moment for Henrique and Pedro with Brex?
What advice did Evan Spiegel give Henrique when it comes to being a great CEO?

2.) Hiring: The Trials and Tribulations

What have been Henrique's biggest hiring mistakes?
How do founders know when they are ready to bring in the seasoned exec vs the younger jack of all trades candidate?
What have been Henrique's biggest lessons in what it takes to hire true A* talent?
Where does Henrique see other founders make big hiring mistakes?

3.) Product Expansion and Marketing:

How does Henrique assess when is the right time to release a second product?
What have been Henrique's biggest mistakes and lessons when it comes to product marketing?
How can one retain the simplicity of product messaging with scaling the product?
Brex expanded the product too far, too fast. How did they walk it back so successfully?

4.) Henrique: The Leader

How does Henrique approach his own relationship to money today? How has it changed over time?
What luxury expenditure has Henrique made over the last 12 months that he feels is worth it?
How does Henrique think about ego management? What does he do to keep his in check?

Item’s Mentioned In Today’s Episode with Henrique Dubugras

Henrique’s Favourite Book: The Innovator's Solution: Creating and Sustaining Successful Growth