Not Another CEO Podcast

What does it take to reinvent an entire industry that’s been rooted in tradition for decades? In this episode, Michael Jacobson, CEO of French Florist, shares his journey from corporate consulting to transforming the floral business.Michael explains how he grew a single 3,000-square-foot location into a $9 million operation by modernizing systems, cutting inefficiencies from the supply chain, and infusing emotion into every part of the customer experience. He also reflects on the challenges of scaling in a traditional industry, the decision to franchise, and the importance of mentorship, high standards, and culture in building a business that lasts. Takeaways:Develop a Strong Brand Identity: A major part of Jacobson’s strategy was creating branding that emphasizes emotional connection, redefining flowers as essential expressions of love rather than luxury items. Listen to Your Employees: Before anything else, Jacobson prioritized understanding the needs of the staff already working in the flower shop. Their insights provided critical low-hanging fruit, such as switching outdated and costly phone systems, which paved the way for larger innovations.Direct-to-Source Supply Chain: By eliminating unnecessary intermediaries in the supply chain, French Florist improved both the quality and cost-efficiency of their products. Direct relationships with flower farms allowed the business to offer fresher flowers with longer shelf life at competitive prices.Prioritize Customer Experience: French Florist’s focus on exceeding customer expectations through personalized service has been crucial. They constantly seek ways to enhance customer satisfaction, such as offering unique video card messages to accompany floral deliveries.Strategic Hiring and Internal Culture: Hiring talented individuals who align with the company’s values and culture has been a priority. Jacobson emphasizes unconventional and thoughtful interview processes to ensure new hires share the company’s vision and drive.Quote of the Show:“ If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it is one of my least favorite sayings. If there’s a better way, I want to find it." - Michael JacobsonLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelrichardjacobson/ Website: https://www.frenchflorist.com/ Ways to Tune In:Substack: https://notanotherceo.substack.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #FrenchFloristChapters:00:00 Intro01:38 Transformative Leadership and Infusing Emotion03:22 Building a Culture of Love and Excellence08:25 Hiring for Values and Unconventional Interviews14:51 The Origin Story of French Florist19:19 Initial Challenges and Early Improvements24:36 Revolutionizing the Floral Industry with Technology31:43 Revenue Growth and Optimization33:15 Supply Chain Innovations35:15 Direct Importing from Farms37:36 Challenges in the Floral Industry40:28 Franchising and Expansion48:18 Personal Reflections and Motivation1:01:01 Outro

How can CEOs stay adaptable while leading through pivots, growth, and constant change? In this episode, Scott Voigt, Founder and CEO of Fullstory, shares his journey from a failed first product to creating the leading digital analytics platform used by thousands of companies worldwide. Scott dives into the tough realities of leadership, from making difficult people decisions to evolving as a CEO as the company scales. He opens up about the power of storytelling in fundraising and leadership, the importance of mental well-being, and the lessons he’s learned from being an early builder in Atlanta’s thriving tech ecosystem. Takeaways:The Power of Storytelling: Scott Voigt emphasizes the significance of storytelling in his role as CEO. It's not just about what you say but how you say it. Through effective storytelling, he energizes and aligns his team, creating a shared vision and purpose.Hiring and Building a Strong Team: Voigt discusses the challenges of hiring and the importance of finding the right fit. He stresses the necessity of moving people out quickly if they are not a good fit, even though it can be difficult.Navigating Investor Relations: Scott’s journey of securing funding for Fullstory involved both challenges and triumphs. He shares the importance of being strategic and deliberate in choosing investors and board members.The Journey of Fullstory's Market Fit: Voigt candidly reflects on the evolution of Fullstory's product-market fit. Initially, as the team worked on a different product, they faced numerous rejections. However, the pivot to Fullstory's current offering brought about an immediate and undeniable product-market fit.Overcoming Internal Challenges: Discussing exits, Voigt argues that the company's mission should transcend any individual's role, ensuring continued alignment and progress regardless of internal changes.Quote of the Show:“When your spidey sense tells you something isn’t working with a person, make the change fast. It only gets harder the longer you wait." - Scott VoigtLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottmvoigt/ Website: https://www.fullstory.com/ Ways to Tune In:Substack: https://notanotherceo.substack.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #FullstoryChapters:00:00 Intro01:36 The Biggest Impactful Decision at Fullstory03:35 The Challenges and Lessons of Letting People Go08:38 Hiring Philosophy and Interview Techniques18:56 The Importance of Storytelling as a CEO24:54 Fundraising Journey and Product Pivot33:38 Reflecting on the Early Struggles37:14 The Importance of Team Chemistry43:28 Navigating the Atlanta Tech Scene48:20 Biggest Challenges and Lessons Learned51:01 Future Vision for Fullstory57:15 Personal Reflections and Advice01:07:53 Outro

Max Junestrand, Co-founder and CEO of Legora, shares his journey from engineer to entrepreneur, paving a unique path in the legal tech industry. He discusses the challenges of scaling a global AI-driven platform while emphasizing the importance of collaboration and cultural fit in hiring. Max reveals insights from his transformative Y Combinator experience, tackling technical hurdles, and navigating hypergrowth. His ambitious vision aims to reshape legal services, focusing on delivering real value while maintaining a strong company culture.

Ever wondered what to consider when hiring your first key employees beyond the founding team? Or what are the secrets to successful fundraising for startups? In this solo episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, David shares his insights from CEO gatherings, trends he’s noticed in the community, and a recent family trip that emphasizes the importance of origin stories.Ways to Tune In:Substack: https://notanotherceo.substack.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #AugustCEOPulseChapters:00:00 Intro02:55 Hiring Your Founding EA13:08 Fundraising Isn’t Fair18:55 The Importance of Origin Stories23:55 Outro

What does it take to build and scale a company while staying grounded in your values? In this episode, Flint Lane reflects on his journey founding and growing Billtrust and coming out of retirement to start Major League Table Tennis. He shares lessons on resilience, leadership, and the balance between personal integrity and business success. Flint also discusses the challenges of navigating growth, what he has learned about himself along the way, and the importance of staying true to purpose even in difficult times. Takeaways:Scaling Begins with Small Wins: Flint emphasizes the importance of "stacking wins" in business, where each small victory propels you forward. He believes the key to success lies in maintaining momentum and making rapid, intelligent decisions.The Role of Mission and Values: For Flint, defining mission and values within a company is crucial for guiding decision-making processes. These elements serve as the company's moral compass, helping employees make decisions aligned with the organization's goals.Navigating Executive Leadership: Flint shares insights into the dynamics of leadership and succession planning. He describes the challenging process of evolving leadership roles to meet the company's growing demands.Overcoming Cybersecurity Challenges: Flint recounts a severe malware attack that tested the company's resilience. He stresses the importance of investing in robust cybersecurity measures and learning from such incidents to better protect critical business assets.The Power of Transparency: Flint argues for fostering trust and collaboration within the organization. By openly communicating challenges and strategies with his team, Flint was able to cultivate an environment of honesty and collective problem-solving.The Entrepreneurial Lifecycle: Flint illustrates the different stages of a company's growth, each with unique challenges and opportunities. From startup to public company, the journey requires adaptation and learning.Transitioning from Software to Sports: After two decades at Billtrust, Flint embarked on a new venture with Major League Table Tennis, driven by his passion for the sport.Quote of the Show:“Any business is a combination of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of decisions, millions of small, little victories." - Flint LaneLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flintlane/Website: https://www.mltt.com/Ways to Tune In:Substack: https://notanotherceo.substack.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #MajorLeagueTableTennisChapters:00:00 Intro01:23 Flint Lane's New Venture: Major League Table Tennis01:56 The Importance of Stacking Wins04:06 Effective Communication and Decision Making06:30 The Role of Transparency in Leadership14:51 Hiring the Right People21:06 The Evolution of Executive Teams27:17 The Importance of a Strong Board31:53 Navigating the Startup Journey33:19 The Decision to Go Public36:34 The Acquisition Process39:06 Cybersecurity Crisis43:54 Transition to Major League Table Tennis49:33 Reflections on Entrepreneurship56:46 Final Thoughts and Advice57:48 Outro

How does an aspiring product leader transition to the helm of a successful tech company? In this episode, Nick Patrick shares his unique perspective on leadership and growth in the tech industry.Nick discusses critical insights on how Radar's unique product strategy, company culture, and operational practices have driven their success. Takeaways:Multi-Product Strategy Innovation: Nick emphasized Radar's growth through expanding their product offerings rather than focusing on a singular solution. By catering to diverse customer requests, Radar transitioned from a geo-fencing platform to a comprehensive location service provider.Customer-Centric Approach: Nick underlined the importance of being customer-driven in product development. Radar has prioritized building what customers request, as long as it aligns with their overall vision.Modernizing Company Culture: Radar has seen increased cohesion and morale by embracing a focused mission and maintaining a workplace culture that emphasizes teamwork over rigid organizational roles.Leadership through Uncertainty: Leading through the pandemic, Radar faced significant challenges with clients from the travel and retail sectors. The company pivoted by redefining its strategy, focusing on delivering multiple product solutions, strengthening its market position.The Shift from Remote Work Culture: While embracing remote work during the pandemic, Nick advocated for in-person collaboration as a competitive advantage. By returning to office-based work, Radar has fostered a more cohesive culture and quicker iteration of ideas.Strategic Fundraising Tips: Nick shared valuable insights into securing investment, noting the importance of creating urgency during fundraising and finding investors who truly “get” the company's vision.Quote of the Show:“Either people happen to Radar or Radar happens to them… you wanna hire people like they happen to Radar." - Nick PatrickLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholaspatrick/ Website: https://radar.com/Ways to Tune In:Substack: https://notanotherceo.substack.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #RadarChapters:00:00 Intro01:12 The Impact of Multi-Product Strategy03:16 Challenges and Management of Multi-Product Approach07:43 Product Involvement and Team Structure12:30 Customer-Centric Engineering14:42 In-Person Collaboration and Office Culture19:52 Founding Radar and Early Challenges28:36 Fundraising Journey and Investor Relations34:55 Navigating Business Through Uncertain Times35:47 Adapting to Market Changes and Setting Expectations38:20 Cultural Shifts and Social Issues41:21 Future Vision for Radar43:24 Personal Journey and Entrepreneurial Spirit47:38 Balancing Work and Family Life51:03 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs54:25 Outro

What happens when you jump from a career in finance to tackling the beauty industry? In this episode, Natalie Mackey shares her reflections on building Winky Lux, from bootstrapping to private equity. She opens up about the importance of core values, the challenges of fundraising as a female founder, and the lessons she learned navigating through different growth stages. Takeaways:Importance of Core Values: Natalie emphasizes the transformative impact of clearly defined core values in the evolution of Winky Lux. The company started with general ideals, but crystallizing specific values became vital as the company scaled.Consumer-Centric Approach: A pivotal moment in Winky Lux's development was the decision to pivot from a marketplace to a full-fledged brand. This shift was entirely consumer-driven, based on insights gathered from direct customer interactions.Fundraising Challenges: Natalie candidly discusses the journey of fundraising, particularly as a female founder. Despite the competitive landscape and systemic biases, she underscores the importance of perseverance and strategic financial planning.Brand Aesthetics and Market Trends: Natalie delves into the significance of aesthetics in the beauty industry. She describes Winky Lux's vibrant, art-inspired branding, which aligns with current market trends.Embracing Community and Collaboration: Natalie credits a considerable part of her success to the entrepreneurial community, highlighting how networks like YPO foster invaluable support and collaboration.Quote of the Show:“I don't mind swinging and striking out, but I really, really, really hate not having swung." - Natalie MackeyLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-mackey-15169370/  Website: https://winkylux.com/  Ways to Tune In:Substack: https://notanotherceo.substack.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #WinkyLuxChapters:00:00 Intro01:23 Core Values and Company Culture at Winky Lux11:28 The Importance of Customer Feedback24:38 Challenges and Insights in Fundraising33:32 The High Stakes of Venture Capital35:06 The Changing Landscape of Entrepreneurship36:37 The Role and Structure of YPO40:00 Challenges and Resilience in Business45:03 Future Prospects for Winky Lux48:17 The Journey from Finance to Entrepreneurship51:27 Mentorship and Community Support59:11 Final Reflections and Advice1:00:55 Outro

What does it take to leave a high-profile role at Tesla and start your own electric vehicle company? In this episode, David talks with Toby Kraus, Co-Founder and CEO of Lightship, about his journey from working on Tesla’s Model S to building an innovative electric RV startup. Toby shares insights on taking big risks, scaling early teams, and navigating the challenges of a hardware business in the EV space. They dive into lessons learned at Tesla, the importance of building trust with investors, and the unique market opportunity Lightship is chasing. Takeaways:The Importance of Coaching: Toby emphasized the value of having a co-founder coach to strengthen the relationship between company leaders. He and his co-founder began working with a coach from the beginning, which Toby credits with helping them maintain a strong partnership and navigate the pressures of building Lightship.Adapting to Growth: As Lightship expanded, managing a larger team and aligning everyone with the company’s mission became a significant challenge. Toby learned that relinquishing control and trusting team experts were vital to maintaining momentum and effectiveness.Venture Capital Challenges: While their early seed round was successful, each subsequent round of funding became increasingly difficult, highlighting the unique challenges hardware companies face compared to software firms, as venture capitalists often favor faster software cycles.Creating a Culture of Ownership: Creating opportunities for team members to take ownership of projects fosters an environment of trust. By delegating responsibilities and empowering team members, leaders convey confidence in their team’s capabilities.Grateful of the Bumpy Path: Despite the mistakes and challenges he faced, Toby insists that changing any aspect of his journey might not have led to the founding of Lightship. Each experience, no matter how difficult, contributed to his current success and perspective.Quote of the Show:“My hidden agenda is I want to know why you wanna work here." - Toby KrausLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobykraus/  Website: https://www.lightshiprv.com/  Ways to Tune In:Substack: https://notanotherceo.substack.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #LightshipChapters:00:00 Intro01:46 The Importance of a Co-Founder Coach02:28 Building a Strong Co-Founder Relationship07:15 The Tesla Connection14:38 Raising Capital During COVID16:20 Challenges of Hardware Startups24:00 Demonstrating Commercial Traction26:50 Sales and Marketing Strategy28:22 Hiring for Innovation30:05 The Importance of Interviewing Candidates30:39 Understanding the Common Failure Mode32:02 The Value of Authentic Motivation33:38 Emotional Runway vs. Cash Runway34:31 Challenges in Building Lightship37:38 Managing a Growing Team40:40 Relinquishing Control and Trusting Your Team44:00 Future Vision for Lightship50:03 Balancing Work and Family Life56:41 Reflecting on the Journey58:21 Outro

What does it take to drive significant transformation in a tech company? In this episode, David interviews Bryan Murphy, the seasoned entrepreneur and current CEO of Smartling. Murphy shares insights into his strategic decision to integrate AI rapidly at Smartling, the challenges faced in execution, and the creation of a separate R&D function to innovate without disrupting core operations. Murphy discusses his approach to leadership, the impact of meeting with hundreds of customers, and the critical role of operational discipline. Additionally, he reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, from his early ventures to his mentoring experiences and the factors driving his unyielding ambition.  Takeaways:Embracing Innovation and AI: Bryan emphasizes the importance of being early adopters of AI in order to remain competitive. He recounts how Smartling's leadership team proactively engaged with AI technologies as soon as they became available. Cultivating Customer Obsession: A significant part of Bryan's approach as CEO involves a deep focus on understanding and anticipating customer needs. He actively engages with customers, often initiating conversations with questions about the primary problems they are trying to solve.Building a Robust Operating Rhythm: Bryan highlights the critical role of a structured operating rhythm in executing plans effectively. Weekly leadership and management council meetings at Smartling help streamline processes and keep initiatives on track.Strategic Decision-Making in Remote Work Setup: With over 200 employees across 20 countries, Bryan holds annual gatherings and regular meet-ups to foster team cohesion while accommodating the global distribution of the workforce.Clarifying Business Metrics and KPIs: To Bryan, measuring success involves defining clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that are aligned with customer value. These metrics directly inform product development and strategic priorities, ensuring the company remains focused on delivering value to customers.Overcoming the Innovator’s Dilemma: Bryan explains the challenge of balancing innovation with existing successful practices, a common issue known as the innovator's dilemma, by systematically integrating new technologies like AI to improve its service offerings without destabilizing its well-established operations.Advice for Aspiring Leaders: Bryan advises newcomers to the industry to always meet their obligations first and then seek opportunities to contribute more broadly, ensuring career advancement and sustained organizational impact.Quote of the Show:“[CEOs] have that latitude to run across the organization and dive down into each one of the respective parts of the organization, no one else can do that or does do that." - Bryan MurphyLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanmurphy2/Website: https://www.smartling.com/Ways to Tune In:Substack: https://notanotherceo.substack.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #SmartlingChapters:00:00 Intro01:36 Embracing AI at Smartling02:43 Implementing AI in a Production Environment07:29 Customer-Centric Innovation11:01 Understanding Customer Needs24:25 Balancing Leadership and Involvement31:37 Weekly Operating Rhythm33:58 Strategic Planning and Key Initiatives35:43 Balancing Focus and Resources48:52 The Importance of Mentorship51:40 Reflecting on Entrepreneurial Journey54:06 Outro

What’s it really like to build a SaaS company from scratch, not just once but twice? In this episode, David talks to Thomas Pedersen, the serial entrepreneur who co-founded OneLogin and now leads Bunny, a bootstrapped billing platform for B2B SaaS.Thomas also opens up about co-founding two companies with his brother, surviving a major security breach, and how he’s approaching company-building differently this time around. Takeaways:Why Thomas Is Bootstrapping This Time: After raising $175 million for OneLogin, Thomas opted to bootstrap Bunny, focusing on control and long-term product quality. He discusses how this choice affects hiring, spending, and overall company culture.Bringing the Band Back Together: Bunny’s small but mighty team includes engineers from OneLogin. Thomas shares why working with trusted colleagues has helped them execute quickly and avoid early hiring pitfalls.The Grind Creates the Bond: Reflecting on the early OneLogin years, Thomas explains how hard work and shared struggle helped forge lasting relationships and why people often want to work with him again.Building with His Brother, Again: Thomas co-founded both of his startups with his brother. He explains how they complement each other technically, navigate disagreements, and have grown even closer through the experience.Remote from Day One: From commuting weekly between LA and San Francisco during OneLogin’s VC-fueled growth to now working from a boat in the Mediterranean, Thomas discusses why Bunny is remote-first and when in-person still matters.Lessons from a Security Breach: A major breach at OneLogin could have destroyed the company. Thomas details how transparency and direct communication with customers helped them retain trust and bounce back.Quote of the Show:"It’s really hard to get a design partner… I wish every Saas or every startup could find a customer like that." - Thomas PedersenLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbpederWebsite: https://bunny.com/Ways to Tune In:Substack: https://notanotherceo.substack.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #bunnyChapters:00:00 Intro01:32 Building Bunny: Lessons from OneLogin02:39 Team Dynamics and Hiring Strategies05:59 Working with Family: A Brother's Partnership10:55 Remote Work and Company Culture16:40 Bootstrapping vs. Venture Capital23:37 Marketing and Personal Branding28:46 Passion for Solving Business Problems31:21 The Importance of Solving Business Problems31:38 Challenges and Solutions in Billing33:24 Early Days of OneLogin33:40 Building SAML Integrations36:20 Acquiring First Customers for Bunny37:35 The Role of Design Partners41:28 Handling Security Breaches45:04 Transparency and Customer Trust48:09 Future of Bunny50:46 Entrepreneurial Journey and Background54:45 Mentorship59:13 Advice to His Younger Self01:03:04 Outro