Ali Rowghani

To succeed in building a big company in the long-term, founders must become good at leading, motivating, and retaining great people. Ali Rowghani, YC Partner and CEO of the YC Continuity Fund, takes from his experience working with great leaders to share his three observations on leadership. 

Ali Rowghani, founder of First Harmonic and former CFO at Pixar and Twitter, shares insights from his remarkable career. He delves into Pixar's relentless pursuit of quality, recounting how they revamped Toy Story 2 to uphold their standards. Rowghani reflects on Twitter's journey from inception to IPO, detailing their monetization strategies and the challenges of global expansion. He also discusses the sapling phase of startups, emphasizing the need for tailored support in early growth stages, and his belief in helping founders without expecting returns.

Eddie Kim, co-founder and Head of Technology at Gusto, alongside guest host Ali Rowghani, dives into Gusto's transformative journey in the AI landscape. They discuss how AI is revolutionizing payroll and HR processes, emphasizing the importance of building in-house tech solutions rather than buying. The duo reveals strategies for prioritizing AI implementations, balancing operational efficiency with user trust. They also tackle the risks and ethical considerations of AI integration while remaining optimistic about its potential to streamline complexities in the business world.

Ali Rowghani, CEO of Y Combinator Continuity, discusses his journey at Pixar and Twitter, the importance of hiring executives who align with company values, common mistakes when expanding to the U.S., and the ideal composition of a board of directors.

Ali Rowghani, a Y Combinator partner with a rich background at Pixar and Twitter, shares insights on effective leadership, emphasizing that great leaders prioritize authenticity, clear communication, and trust. He defines the essence of leadership as engendering trust within teams. Meanwhile, Kevin Hale and Adora Cheung reveal key statistics from Startup School 2019, showcasing its growth and success. They stress the importance of concise startup descriptions and regular progress updates, highlighting their role in achieving acceptance into Y Combinator.