The Blind Ambition with Jack Kelly

Oren Barzilai, Founder and CEO of EquityBee Every day professionals miss out on the opportunity to build wealth through stock options and other stock-based compensation. Some professionals might not understand how they work or can't afford to exercise stock options when they leave. Don't miss Oren's master class about stock options and how they might affect your total compensation offer at a startup. https://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/c2676260

Abakar Saidov, Founder and CEO of Beamery Abakar is not a typical founder. He didn't have a lifelong interest in computers or coding, and he had never worked in tech before starting his multi-billion-dollar startup. Instead, curiosity led him down the paths of AI and HR. We explore the founding story of Beamery and Abakar's perseverance that made it all possible. https://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/ccf26d43

Eugene Zhang, Founding Partner at TSVC Eugene has seen it all in Silicon Valley from his vantage point as an engineer-turned-venture capitalist. We get him to break down the last 30 years of the tech industry, everything from the different boom-and-bust cycles to the latest new trends he's excited about as an investor. He would know, too, as he was an angel investor in Zoom long before the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent work-from-home trend. https://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/1fbc7b97

Tim Armandpour, Chief Technology Officer at PagerDuty Tim is a rare CTO: Before leading engineering and tech teams, he was responsible for product development at YapStone and then PagerDuty. The duo-role experience informed his leadership today, helping him understand how a tech company operates from soup to nuts. He explains how professionals earlier in their careers, especially software engineers, can apply the lessons he learned and level up faster. Finally, we ask Tim why being on call sucks and why it doesn't have to be that way. https://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/39324712

Jeanniey Walden, Former Global Chief Innovation and Marketing Officer at DailyPay Jeanniey breaks down personal branding and how to build one to advance your career. She also explains why applying for a job on LinkedIn or a jobs board isn't the best thing to do. We also ask her how to use personal and professional networks the right way. Finally, she shares some financial tips about making the most of your stock options and RSUs after you leave a startup or tech company. https://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/50473111

Jack Kelly and Rick Chen react to Intel's decision to cut the pay of the CEO, leadership team and middle management by 5% to 25% after its layoffs. We look into what might be the catalyst for these decisions and why high-profile pay cuts like Apple's Tim Cook might not be anything more than a PR play. Notably, Jack explores how job-cut announcements affect the stock market and the job market. Finally, Jack and Rick discuss the history of company reductions in force and why layoffs might be the worst thing a company can do. https://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/mhe5kscq https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/2023/02/intel-slashes-wages-bonuses-after-disastrous-quarterly-results.htmlhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2023/02/01/ceos-of-apple-goldman-sachs-jpmorgan-and-other-top-companies-are-taking-pay-cuts/

AJ Cooper, Director of Hardware Engineering at Lyft Few people get the opportunity to work on a global scale, but AJ has done it twice as a hardware engineer. We learn how to develop a business mindset as a technologist and how he transitioned from focusing on the tactical to thinking like an owner. He also shares a blueprint for demonstrating impact and developing a high career velocity, even if you're not on the most exciting or impactful projects. Finally, AJ explains how to break through if you're at a startup or smaller team and why it might be just the push you need to become a more rounded professional. https://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/62b1cf0c

Jeffrey Spector, President and Co-Founder of Karat If you've interviewed at a tech company, Karat might have been responsible for the process or the interview itself. Jeffrey explains why technical job interviews are often broken and how some companies have adapted to hire better talent. As a bonus, he also shares why most companies' performance reviews and job performance incentive programs don't work. Finally, we get a sneak peek into other changes to industry hiring processes and what it was like working for Bill Gates at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. https://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/41d258d6

Jack Kelly and Rick Chen break down Alphabet's layoff of 12,000 people worldwide. We compare and contrast the job cuts at Google's parent company with others this month, including Meta, Microsoft, Salesforce and more. We explore whether Google and Microsoft played follow-the-leader with their job cuts and if this means a recession is likely. Jack and Rick also react to how professionals reacted to the news on Blind today. Finally, we share some lessons about what you can do if you have been laid off and why the job market isn't as bad as you might think. https://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/mhe5kscq https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/20/business/google-alphabet-layoffs.html

Jost Capito, Former CEO and Team Principal of Williams Racing Formula One is as much a business as it is a sport. Jost took over the reins of Williams Racing, tasked with leading a turnaround story for a struggling team. He walks us through his first days on the job, including how he incorporated feedback from each team member and the pressure involved. We also explore the workplace culture of a sports team and the incentives and initiatives required to keep everyone motivated. Finally, Jost shares the leadership principles he learned in motorsport and how we can drive positive milestones in our careers. https://blindap.onelink.me/ttCg/1e89de37