From Start-Up to Grown-Up

Rick Nucci is the Co-Founder and CEO of Guru.Rick Nucci is co-founder and CEO at Guru. Rick brings twenty years of experience in creating category-leading software solutions and companies. Prior to Guru, Rick was the founder and chief technology officer of Boomi, which defined and led a new segment as the first-ever cloud integration platform-as-a-service. Boomi was acquired by Dell in 2010, where Rick went on to run the Boomi business for Dell as its general manager, helping grow the organization into the industry leader it is today. Rick frequently speaks at industry events about startups, SaaS and cloud computing. Rick holds a Bachelor of Science in Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management from Penn State University.In this talk, Rick discusses the importance of having complementary founder skills, his philosophy about culture, what to do when he doesn't know what to do, and why he insists that people vent.[01:04] “Success is not a license for arrogance.”[02:55] What Rick learned from the trials and errors of leadership[15:03] Importance of Culture [19:42] Hiring Candidates [22:09] Downsides to Guru’s Culture [28:02] Maintaining Guru’s Culture during the Pandemic[34:19] The Change and Growth that Ricks has done as a Leader [40:30] Experiencing Self-Doubt and Impostor Syndrome [45:46] What Rick wished he knew before starting his journeyTo hear more from Alisa, sign up for her newsletter at http://alisacohn.com/5scriptsConnect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

Jennifer Dulski is the Founder and CEO of Rising Team and author of the WSJ bestselling book Purposeful.Jennifer Dulski has a wide range of executive experience including leadership roles at Facebook, Google, and Yahoo!, and founder, CEO, and president roles at early stage and scaling startups. She is currently CEO and founder of Rising Team, a company that provides tools, data, and community to turn managers into amazing coaches that build happier and more successful teams.Prior to Rising Team, she led Facebook Groups, used by more than 1.5 billion people each month to create and participate in communities that matter to them. Her team was responsible for envisioning, building, and growing the Groups product. She also led the 2019 redesign of Facebook, “FB5,” to put communities at the center of the app.Before Facebook, Dulski was president and COO of Change.org, a social enterprise company that empowers people to create campaigns for change. Under her leadership, Change.org grew 10x, from 18 million users to 180 million, developed a profitable business model, rebuilt its tech stack, and supported thousands of successful campaigns globally.During our conversation, Jennifer shares her story of becoming the founder of a nonprofit when she was 21, how you can get fooled by thinking you have product market fit, why it's so helpful for founders to spend time at large companies, work/life mashup, and her love of acronyms.[01:49] Overcoming Challenges[03:20] Strengthening Teams with Similar Talents[05:30] Why Jennifer Appreciates Honest Feedback[08:45] Building a Nonprofit Company[10:03] Structure of the Organization[14:23] Developing Technology to Create a Consumer Product[17:53] Truths of Being a Serial Founder[26:12] Jennifer's Goal to Build Rising Team[37:25] Vital Life Lessons Learned[42:55] The Strength of Self-Confidence[49:55] Three Traits for Successful MovementsTo hear more from Alisa, sign up for her newsletter at http://alisacohn.com/5scriptsConnect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

Jeff Wald is a serial entrepreneur,  Board Member, Best Selling author, Keynote speaker and investor.   Jeff is co-founder and Chairman of two new technology startups, Bento Engine (toolkit for financial advisers) and Sonero (AI tool that provides summaries and action items from meetings).  Jeff’s previous company, Work Market, an enterprise software platform that enables companies to manage freelancers was acquired by ADP in 2018, where he served on the Senior Leadership Team until 2020.  Mr. Wald has founded several other technology companies, including Spinback, a social sharing platform (eventually purchased by salesforce.com). He began his career in finance, serving as Managing Director at activist hedge fund Barington Capital Group, a Vice President at venture capital firm GlenRock and various roles in the M&A Group at JP Morgan.Jeff has served on numerous public and private Boards of Directors including Steel Connect (NASDAQ: STCN), Costar Technologies (OTC: CSTI) and venture-backed TransfrVR.   Mr. Wald serves as an adviser to several companies and entities including the X-Prize’s Rapid Reskilling Initiative.Jeff is the author of the #1 Amazon Best Seller, The End of Jobs: The Rise of On-Demand Workers and Agile Corporations and The Birthday Rules: A Fun and Flexible Framework for Raising Children in a Technology Enabled World.In this episode, Jeff talks about cofounder drama, his depression when his first startup failed, and what he said to his investors when they told him to get a coach, frameworks, and what he now looks for as an investor.[02:48] How Jeff started[13:44] Sign of Weakness[20:37] Getting a Coach [27:33] Working Habit[37:28] Lifeline[45:05] Achievements[47:28] Jeff’s Imposter Syndrome[55:23] Advice[01:07:57] ConclusionTo hear more from Alisa, sign up for her newsletter at alisacohn.com/5scriptsConnect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

Sadie Lincoln is the co-founder and CEO of the fitness franchise company, Barre3. Sadie is on Inc.’s Female Founders 100 list and the MO100 Impact list, has been featured on NPR’s How I Built This, and speaks regularly on the topics of mindful leadership, the power of body wisdom, and the movement to redefine what success in fitness means. Beyond running her company and being a global spokesperson, Sadie still enjoys teaching barre3 classes to many of her founding clients in her hometown of Portland, Oregon.In this episode, Sadie shares how their in-person business had to pivot during the pandemic, why she views running her business as a spiritual practice, the worst feedback she ever received, and the importance of having the right team around her.[2:17] Building business was a spiritual practice[5:14] Micro practices that bring her closer to her spiritual practices[7:46] Shifting into a more confident state[9:45] The founding story of Barre3[16:39] During the pandemic[33:26] A circle in Sadie’s leadership group[37:41] Female leadership[39:55] What else does Sadie wish she had known earlier on her journey?[41:04] Sadie’s AdviceTo hear more from Alisa, sign up for her newsletter at http://alisacohn.com/5scriptsConnect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

Chris Hsu is the CEO & Co-Founder of Azibo, a VC-backed real estate fintech startup focused on simplifying the rental property experience. Prior to Azibo, Chris served as an Advisory Partner at a16z and previously was CEO of Micro Focus, a $4B enterprise software company. He also was COO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, where he successfully led the largest corporate separation in history. Chris spent the earlier part of his career in leadership roles at top consulting firms, including KKR and McKinsey. A military veteran, Chris graduated as a Distinguished Cadet from the United States Military Academy at West Point and completed his U.S. Army tenure as a Captain. He also has an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.In this episode of From Start Up to Grown Up, our guest is Chris Hsu. Chris is the CEO and Co-Founder of Azibo, a financial service for rental property owners. He has various work experience with a variety of companies, namely: General Mills, McKinsey, KKR, HP, and Andreessen Horowitz. He also has an MBA from Kellogg School of Management.In this episode, we cover:[1:59] Chris’ Personal Life[7:33] Chris’ Experience on Ranger School[13:55] Azibo Founding Story [18:17] Co-Founding Azibo[22:02] Culture of the Company that Chris wrote down[33:40] Chris on Leadership [37:43]The Struggles of Chris in his journey[46:44] Chris as a CEO [54:09] Challenges in Talking to Employees and Executives[59:48] What Chris Wished He Had Known Earlier[1:02:02] Advice for other FoundersTo hear more from Alisa, sign up for her newsletter at http://alisacohn.com/5scriptsConnect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

Jake Stein is the cofounder and CEO of Common Paper. Previously, he was the co-founder of RJMetrics (acquired by Magento, then Adobe) and Stitch (acquired by Talend). Before RJMetrics, Jake worked in venture capital, started a landscaping business in high school, and was the 44th ranked table tennis player under 21 in New Jersey; achievements of which he is equally proud.In this episode, Jake discusses the pros and cons of distributed teams, the questions that he and his co-founder asked before they started their company, and the challenges he ran into once his former company was acquired. You'll also hear Jake's biggest mistake, how he invites company feedback parties, and all about Whale Wednesdays.[01:27] Entrepreneurship Origins[03:32] Aligning Company Plans[11:33] The Emotional Battle of Running a Business[28:03] Written Feedback vs. Verbal Feedback[33:23] Fostering Company Culture[45:36] Jake’s Biggest Professional Blunder[58:05] The Importance of Self-Care[58:51] Advice for New Business OwnersTo hear more from Alisa, sign up for her newsletter at http://alisacohn.com/5scriptsConnect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

Zvi Band is the co-founder and CEO of Contactually, which has been acquired by Compass. He is also the author of Success is In Your Sphere. His new venture is called Talk Social, which is focused on bringing humanity back together.In this episode, Zvi and I had a conversation about how he got onto the path of entrepreneurship, how he learned to see himself as the leader, and the limits of transparency. Zvi and I also get into a real talk discussion about co-founder dynamics, mental health, and his surprising advice to founders who are getting ready to sell their business.To hear more from Alisa, sign up for her newsletter!Connect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

Matt Blumberg is the founder and CEO of Bolster, a new talent marketplace for on-demand executives launched in 2020. Before Bolster, he was the CEO of Return Path. He has authored two books, namely: The Startup CEO and The Startup CXO.In this episode, Matt will take us through his entrepreneurship journey. He will give us in-depth details on how they founded Return Path, how they built the company culture, as well as their exit from the company. Matt also shares how he creates a support system, learned to say ”no,” and became a two-time CEO.If you were to sell your company today, would you feel like you are giving away your child? Today, I’m joined by a man who founded a company, built it up, attempted selling it and failed, went back to rebuilding it, and sold it years later. Meet Matt Blumberg!Matt is a founder and CEO of Bolster, a new talent marketplace for on-demand executives launched in 2020. Before Bolster, he was the CEO of Return Path. Also, he has authored two books, namely: The Startup CEO and The Startup CXO.In this episode, Matt will take us through his entrepreneurship journey. He will give us in-depth details on how they founded Return-path, how they built the company culture, and their exit from the company. Also, he will tell us how he creates a support system, his journey to learning to say, "no” and how he became a second-time CEO.Key Talking Points of the Episode:[01:36] Getting to know Matt[03:27] Matt’s growth path in leadership[09:30] How Matt learned to say NO[12:39] How to build a support system[13:23] What’s the difference between a coach and a mentor?[15:10] How Matt handles difficult conversations with his employees[21:20] Coaching someone is about to get fired[29:30] How Matt built the company culture at Return Path and how it evolved[40:16] How Matt deals with difficult setbacks and bad moments in his day-to-day life[41:57] Transparency and authenticity[43:27] Matt’s favorite failure[51:05] How Matt sold Return Path[56:25] What is it like to be a second-time CEO for Matt?[01:02:58] The most challenging role for Matt in his current role[01:04:42] Matt’s book, Startup CXO and why it is important [01:10:43] What Matt wishes he knew earlier on his journey[01:11:15] Matt’s message to other founders, as they embark on their journey to grow into leadersQuotes from the Episode:“You’re never done growing as a leader all of us are works in progress.”“The most important conversation to have with an employee or an executive who is not doing well is the conversation you have before the one you fire them.”“The best way to deal with a bad moment is to wait a few minutes. Something else is going to come along and replace it.”“When you make the hard conversation early, that means the later conversation is easier.”“Don’t be shy about asking for help. There are a lot of people around you who know a lot more than you do about a lot of things that you’re doing.” Grab Matt’s Books: Startup CEO: Connect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

Learn about Alisa's new podcast, From Start-Up to Grown-Up, where she interviews founders about the journey from their beginnings as a fledgling business to thriving companies that are leading the way.Connect with Alisa! Follow Alisa Cohn on Instagram: @alisacohn Twitter: @alisacohn Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/ Website: http://www.alisacohn.com Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon