In this engaging discussion, Donny Priliandi, founder of HappyFive—an employee engagement platform from Indonesia—shares his remarkable journey into the U.S. market. He reveals how storytelling has been his superpower, helping to attract support and navigate challenges. Donny discusses the importance of compassion and listening in business negotiations, along with effective time management strategies to balance intense work demands with personal life. His insights on resilience and the emotional toll of entrepreneurship make this conversation both relatable and inspiring.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Cold Email to Google VP
Donny Priliandi cold-emailed Laszlo Bock, Google's VP of People Operations, about his startup, HappyFive.
Bock was impressed and met with Priliandi, leading to connections and mentorship.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Last-Minute Flight to Silicon Valley
After cold-emailing Laszlo Bock, Donny booked a last-minute flight from Jakarta to Silicon Valley for a meeting.
Bock, impressed with HappyFive's uniqueness, offered to connect Priliandi with helpful colleagues.
insights INSIGHT
The Power of Tenacity
Founders who demonstrate tenacity and resilience often attract support and interest.
Donnie's ability to quickly position HappyFive and communicate his needs drew people in, eager to help.
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In 'Work Rules!', Laszlo Bock shares insights from his time as the head of People Operations at Google, revealing why Google is consistently rated one of the best places to work. The book distills 15 years of intensive worker R&D into counterintuitive principles that are easy to implement. It covers topics such as company culture, hiring practices, and management strategies, providing practical advice on how to create a high-performing and creative workplace. Bock also includes examples from various industries and challenges conventional wisdom on hiring, training, and compensating employees.
Measure What Matters
Laura Patterson
John Doerr's "Measure What Matters" explores the power of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) as a goal-setting system. The book showcases how OKRs have been used by companies like Google and Intel to achieve ambitious goals. Doerr emphasizes the importance of setting clear, measurable objectives and tracking progress regularly. The book also highlights the importance of aligning goals across teams and organizations. It provides a practical framework for setting and achieving ambitious goals in various contexts, including business and personal life.
Storytelling with Data
A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals
Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic
This book teaches you how to go beyond conventional data visualization tools to create engaging, informative, and compelling stories with your data. It covers the importance of context and audience, choosing the right type of graph, eliminating clutter, directing the audience's attention, and leveraging storytelling principles to make your message resonate. The book is grounded in theory but made accessible through numerous real-world examples.
NEW SERIES: The Founder’s Journey – Stories of Building, Scaling & Storytelling
We’re launching something new on thestorytelling with data podcast! In this special series, we’ll sit down with founders who are building something remarkable—diving into their journeys, the lessons they’ve learned, and the storytelling strategies that fuel their success.
In this episode, Randy is joined by Doni Priliandi, founder of HappyFive, an employee engagement and performance management platform. Doni’s path is one of persistence, risk-taking, and strategic storytelling. From cold-emailing Google’s Laszlo Bock to hopping on a last-minute flight from Jakarta to Silicon Valley, Doni’s story is filled with bold moves and valuable insights. He shares how being an underdog can be a superpower, why storytelling is crucial for founders, and the lessons he’s learned while expanding into the U.S. market.
Whether you're an entrepreneur, a leader, or simply someone looking for inspiration, this episode offers a fascinating look at the intersection of data, storytelling, and startup success.
Related Links:
Check out Happy5's performance management software platform
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