Collaborative teamwork is the cornerstone of success for early-stage startups, driving innovation, resilience, and growth in dynamic environments.
For the past decade, I have had a front row seat to one of the most exciting industries in the world: VC-backed startups in Silicon Valley. My time has been focused on recruiting executive talent into many iconic companies. I feel grateful every day to work alongside so many incredible founders, executives, search partners, team members, and investors. There are many differences across everyone I’ve interacted with, and there is no one-size-fits-all. However, I’ve noticed constant themes I thought helpful - and maybe controversial! - to share with those currently operating, running a company, or leading investments. I hope these reflections help others trying to build and retain an exceptional executive bench. Here are ten of my reflections after ten years in VC: 1. Some of the most successful companies I’ve worked with have multiple leaders (not just the CEO) who proactively network to learn from those who have made the journey before. They carve out time every month to do this and diligently do it. 2. Leading a company and managing an executive team takes skill if you want to be respected and trusted by those around you. Not everyone is born with these traits, but those who are self-aware will invest in executive coaching to bridge development in the areas they may not have. 3. We live in an industry that publicly celebrates the big wins, but it’s important to celebrate the steps and people along the way. A company getting to its first $10M of ARR is hard work. Sometimes, the team that gets you to $10M isn’t the same one that gets you to $100M, but both are equally important. 4. People want to work with those they can trust, who value what they do, who want to win, and who can respectfully disagree. It sounds simple and basic, but this comes up in conversations I have with executives every week, sometimes every day. 5. Being the first company to enter the market doesn’t always mean it will be the most successful. The urgency to scale is key because you don’t want to miss your window, but so is quality. 6. Executives should conduct more backchannels on companies, founders, and investors. Be sure to address any negative feedback you hear; every story has two sides. 7. Loose lips sink partnerships. A partnership only operates at its best when everyone is on and feels a part of the boat. 8. Your reputation precedes you in every endeavor. It's a culmination of years to establish, yet it can vanish overnight. 9. Independent Board members can be incredibly valuable, but you have to know the qualities of what you want to bring on board. If you are a founder, make a short list of your top 5-10 and aggressively recruit them. Don’t waste someone’s time if you don’t know what you need. 10. Remove blockers—Some of the best CEOs I’ve worked with focus on removing blockers for their executives. Ask those around you, “What are your blockers?” Removing obstacles only allows people to do their best.