39: Preparing for the Jump From CTO to CEO with Andre Louca

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Andre Louca is a former CTO who became the CEO of a deep tech startup focused on AI and computer vision. 

In this episode, you'll learn what it takes to move from CTO to CEO, how to set yourself up for success in the new role, what mindset shifts are needed to lead a company, and how to make tough decisions without losing trust.

Timestamps:

 [00:00] Introduction

[05:00] Understanding customer needs

[07:00] Becoming the CTO of Work Analytics

[09:00] Using cloud computing to accelerate processing times

[11:00] Corate's IP and technology structure

[13:00] Becoming the CEO of Corate

[15:00] Ensuring product readiness before transitioning to CEO

[17:00] Dealing with role transitions and maintaining approachability

[19:00] Dealing with surprises and the learning curve of being CEO

[21:00] Learning from sales and marketing experts

[23:00] Transitioning skills from CTO to CEO

[25:00] Setting and achieving continuous goals

[27:00] Using short-term goals to drive energy and performance

[29:00] Celebrating milestones with the team

[31:00] Importance of analyzing decisions analytically

[33:00] Making difficult decisions with a rational approach

[35:00] Balancing technical leadership and business leadership

[37:00] Networking and relationship-building with the board

[39:00] Gaining trust from non-technical board members

[41:00] Importance of delivering results and building credibility

[43:00] Coaching and accepting help from others

[45:00] Focusing on the business, not just technology

To learn more from Andre, connect with him on LinkedIn.

Find more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube, and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.