Wes Kao has worked with Seth Godin (where she co-founded the altMBA and served as executive director), David Perell on his Write of Passage course, Professor Scott Galloway on Section4, and Morning Brew. Currently, she’s the co-founder of Maven, a cohort-based learning platform where I taught my own course. Wes is passionate about telling stories that stay true to the creator’s intentions while keeping your audience listening. In today’s episode, you will learn how to use state changes to keep your audience engaged, how to communicate more clearly by focusing on the how more than the why, how to manage up for success, and how to communicate your priorities to set a boundary.—Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/persuasive-communication-and-managing-up-wes-kao-maven-seth-godin-section4/#transcription—Where to find Wes Kao:• Website: https://www.weskao.com/• Twitter: https://twitter.com/wes_kao• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weskao/—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible:• Modern Treasury: https://www.moderntreasury.com/• Berbix: https://www.berbix.com/start• Makelog: https://www.makelog.com/lenny—Referenced:• The Super Specific How: How to make your cohort-based course more rigorous: https://www.weskao.com/blog/super-specific-how• It Was the Best of Sentences, It Was the Worst of Sentences: A Writer’s Guide to Crafting Killer Sentences: https://www.amazon.com/Was-Best-Sentences-Worst-Crafting/dp/158008740X• Guide to Better Business Writing (HBR Guide Series): https://www.amazon.com/HBR-Guide-Better-Business-Writing/dp/142218403X• Seth Godin’s blog: https://seths.blog/• The Minto Pyramid Principle: Logic in Writing, Thinking, and Problem Solving: https://www.amazon.com/Minto-Pyramid-Principle-Writing-Thinking/dp/0960191038• Doctor Foster: https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Foster/dp/B01DT0WQ2C• Suzy Batiz: https://www.suzybatiz.com/• Amanda Natividad’s Marketing 201 course: https://maven.com/amandanat/content-marketing• Dr. Marily Nika’s course:  https://maven.com/marily-nika/technical-product-management—In this episode, we cover:[03:39] Wes’s early career[07:08] How to land a job with Seth Godin[09:56] What makes Seth Godin stand apart[14:50] Wes’s framework for better writing: the super-specific how[18:08] Writing and teaching without the BS[21:45] State changes: how to keep your audience engaged when teaching[25:51] The data of “eyes light up” moments[29:27] What managing up can do for you[32:51] How to manage up effectively[34:17] Lenny’s template for proactive communication[36:19] The skills you need to communicate clearly through writing[43:50] How to protect your bandwidth (without having to say no to your boss)[47:32] How Lenny sets priorities and communicates them[48:24] Lightning round!—Production and marketing: https://penname.co/ Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe

Wes Kao discusses managing up and bridging the gap between managers and reports. The 'Bad Things / Good Things' framework, good communication in the remote era, and the transition to remote work at Maven are explored. Sync vs async communication, the importance of over-communicating, and Wes' approach to reading are also highlighted.

Wes Kao, Co-founder of Maven and altMBA, shares insights on mastering skills, strategic thinking, and overcoming fear of failure learned from Seth Godin. They discuss the importance of feedback, high standards in leadership, and the balance between craftsmanship and leadership. Leaders are advised to stay connected to the craft for effective marketing strategies.

In this episode I talk to Wes Kao, co-founder of altMBA. Her latest startup is called Maven, and it's all about cohort-based courses.Wes is fantastic at course design. Before Maven, she did a bunch of amazing things working with a lot of different creators.We talk about the State Change Method, which is something I use to make my presentations much more interesting. We talk about building an audience on Twitter. We also talk about course design, cohort-based courses, and a lot of other fun things.In this episode, you’ll learn:Tips for writing short-form content that boosts engagementA big advantage Twitter gives you over other platformsHow to know if your content is ready to publishWhy cohort-based courses are so lucrativeLinks & Resources (H5)Seth GodinaltMBAGagan BiyaniWes Kao’s Links (H5)MavenWes’ websiteFollow Wes on TwitterWes’ blog post: Course Mechanics Canvas: 12 Levers to Achieve Course-Market FitWes’ blog post: The State Change Method: How to deliver engaging live lectures on Zoom

Wes Kao, the co-founder of Maven and expert in executive communication, shares valuable insights on effectively communicating with leaders. He emphasizes the importance of building credibility and reducing cognitive load in discussions. Kao advocates for celebrating good decision-making processes rather than just outcomes and highlights the need for proactive communication to minimize surprises. With practical strategies for framing conversations and aligning proposals with leaders' priorities, he shows how to make collaboration more effective in the workplace.

Wes Kao (@wes_kao) talks disrupting traditional education, what it's like to raise $25M, how to stay motivated as a founder, why cohorts are the gold standard of online learning, and how to apply the science of love to product-founder fit with Courtland (@csallen) and Channing (@ChanningAllen).

Wes Kao, co-founder of Maven and altMBA, shares her insights on vital career skills for data professionals. She emphasizes the importance of effective communication and context when presenting data to various audiences. Wes discusses navigating feedback and fostering a culture of constructive criticism. She highlights 'acting like an owner' and taking responsibility for outcomes in professional growth. The conversation also delves into optimizing meetings, mastering the art of managing upwards, and enhancing judgment and analytical thinking for better decision-making.

Wes Kao is co-founder of Maven, a platform that helps creators build cohort-based courses. Before that, she co-founded the altMBA with acclaimed author and marketer Seth Godin.If you’re not yet familiar with them, cohort-based courses (CBCs) are a not-so-new way of learning with a group of other people. They take the best parts of traditional classroom education and blend them with online classes to create a rich learning experience.In this episode, Wes shares why CBCs are the best way to learn and why it’s crucial you always test (and validate) your course idea. Having a substantial social following doesn’t guarantee a courses’ success.If you have an idea for a course, give this episode a listen before moving forward. And be sure to check out Wes’s free course accelerator.Sponsored byGrin.co - https://grin.coAthletic Greens - https://athleticgreens.com/futurPeloton - https://onepeloton.com/app Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wes Kao, brand strategist, discusses importance of actionable ideas, advocating for viewpoints, and maintaining uniqueness in creative professions. Learn how to stand out with a 'spiky point of view'. Story of a musician showcases success through rejection.

Wes Kao, co-founder of Maven, discusses creating and marketing online courses to make $20,000 per cohort. She emphasizes building a spiky point of view to stand out and using the state change method to keep people interested. Topics include empowering operators, aligning passion with demand, content creation, viral content, and growth strategies.