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The Eric Ries Show

MBA thinking killed my startup, lessons on losing 98% of users, and being fired as a co-founder | Gagan Biyani (Udemy and Maven)

Feb 20, 2025
Gagan Biyani, a serial entrepreneur and CEO of Maven, reflects on his journey from co-founding Udemy to launching his latest project. He shares how a free truffle taught him the pitfalls of traditional business thinking. Biyani emphasizes the importance of intuition over metrics and discusses fostering company culture while scaling. He candidly reveals lessons from his exit at Udemy and the emotional complexities of partnerships. The conversation also dives into AI's transformative potential in education, exploring its limitations and the need for human touch in learning.
01:32:56

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Gagan Biyani highlights the necessity of prioritizing qualitative insights over quantitative metrics to foster deeper customer connections.
  • A critical lesson from Sprig illustrates how short-sighted cost-cutting decisions can damage long-term relationships with clients.

Deep dives

The Value of Qualitative Insights

Gagan Biani emphasizes the importance of qualitative insights over quantitative metrics when evaluating a business. Instead of focusing solely on key performance indicators like retention rates, he draws attention to the significant impact anecdotal feedback from users can have in shaping a company's strategy. For instance, a user's trust issues regarding Maven's email communications highlight the necessity of understanding customers on a personal level. This approach fosters a deeper connection with clients, ultimately enhancing loyalty and the overall brand experience.

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