Not Another CEO Podcast

In this conversation, Melanie Fellay, Co-founder and CEO of Spekit, shares her journey as a female entrepreneur and AI advocate featured on Forbes 30 Under 30. She discusses the power of early branding and unconventional customer acquisition strategies, like her breakthrough at Dreamforce. Fellay emphasizes the importance of hiring self-aware leaders and reflects on navigating growth challenges faced by Spekit. Her story of resilience and innovation in the tech landscape inspires future generations of entrepreneurs.

In this special year-end episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, host David Politis shares his reflections on 2024 and his plans for the podcast in the year ahead. He opens up about the challenges, milestones, and rewards of launching and growing the show. He also sets ambitious goals for 2025, including diversifying the roster of guests, expanding the podcast's global reach, and finding new ways to share the incredible insights captured in each episode.

Andrew Lau, Co-founder and CEO of Jellyfish and veteran of the Boston startup scene, discusses his journey from engineer to leader. He shares insights on building a startup with a strong culture, emphasizing the importance of founder alignment and core values. Andrew recounts interviewing over 50 engineering leaders to shape Jellyfish’s vision, while advocating for a version of a startup that accommodates life’s responsibilities. He also reflects on the evolving role of CEOs, the significance of customer discovery, and the challenges of scaling a business.

Howard Ting, CEO of Cyberhaven and former CMO, shares his transformative leadership journey in the cybersecurity industry. He emphasizes the importance of transparent communication through weekly video updates, which boost team engagement. Ting discusses his strategic shift in targeting mid-market companies and fostering a culture of innovation. He highlights the critical qualities he looks for in hires, such as self-awareness and hunger, while navigating the delicate balance between personal life and business growth.

David Rabie, Co-founder and CEO of Tovala, is reshaping the meal prep scene with a smart oven and meal delivery service. He shares insights on navigating tough fundraising moments during the pandemic, emphasizing resilience and adaptability. Rabie discusses his unique hiring philosophy, focusing on potential over experience, and the importance of storytelling in onboarding. He reflects on how Tovala's integrated model ensures high-quality meals and the pivotal role weekly communications play in fostering team cohesion.

David begins every interview with a simple question:What is one thing you’ve done, big or small, that’s had the biggest impact on your company and you’d do again if you’re CEO of another company in the future?In today’s special episode, we will be looking back at the answers given to this question. Dive in with us as we hear how all 19 CEOs that David has interviewed discuss what they would do again in their next venture!We will be starting from the top with the show’s first ever guest, Nick Mehta. Follow the chapters below to see when each CEO’s answer is.0:00 Intro2:14 Nick Mehta - Gainsight3:51 Tony Safoian - SADA7:56 Anthony Serina - Revivn12:13 John Fazzolari - Revivn14:16 Loren Castle - Sweet Loren’s21:32 Jeron Paul - Spiff22:46 Alex Theuma - SaaStock32:30 Jukay Hsu - Pursuit38:33 Nick Cromydas - Hunt Club47:20 Godard Abel - G251:14 Dan Michaeli - Glia1:01:53 Kathryn Minshew - The Muse1:11:06 Ryan Westwood - Fullcast1:18:04 Nate Rosenstock - Crafty1:28:37 Ryan Simonetti - Convene1:41:33 Craig Walker - Dialpad1:48:54 Eran Gil - AllCloud1:54:50 Nick Freund - Workstream.io2:03:45 Dane Atkinson - Odeko2:07:00 Thank YouWays to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261 Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #CEOAdvice

Dane Atkinson, Founder and CEO of Odeko, shares his journey and insights into building a purpose-driven business aimed at supporting small coffee shops. He discusses the tension between growth and profitability, emphasizing resilience and sustainability. Dane reflects on overcoming personal challenges like dyslexia and ADHD, viewing them as unique strengths in his entrepreneurial journey. He highlights the importance of mentorship and community, advocating for transparency in startups as a means to foster a healthy workplace culture.

Today we’re bringing you a very special episode of the Not Another CEO Podcast! Joining David this week is Nick Freund, the Founder and Former CEO of Workstream.io, and they discuss his entrepreneurial journey. Five years ago, Nick founded Workstream and successfully raised over seven million dollars before making the difficult decision to shut down the company.In this episode, Nick shares his experiences, the importance of selecting the right co-founder, and the challenges of pivoting a business. He also talks about the emotional toll of shutting down a company and the subsequent launch of his Substack, 'Failing Forward,' where he aims to educate and support other founders through his lessons learned. Takeaways:Building a Strong Team: As a founder, it’s important to know what you’re good at and be honest about what you’re not. Take your time to find the right person, and don’t skip the reference checks. They can really pay off in the long run.Founder Compatibility: Choosing a co-founder or core team member is a lot like entering a relationship. It’s more than just an employer-employee relationship. You need to think about personality fit and how your working styles mesh.Engaging Customers Early: Start talking to potential customers as early as possible—whether through interviews or feedback sessions. This helps validate your idea and gives you insights into what customers really need. Building early relationships with design partners can also help shape your product development.Mental Readiness and Resilience: Being a founder can be mentally tough. There will be stress, setbacks, and tough days— that’s just part of the journey. Having a clear sense of purpose and a strong support system can help you push through the challenges.Transparency in Failures: Don’t shy away from sharing your failures. Almost every startup faces obstacles, and being open about them can teach valuable lessons to others. Sharing these stories fosters a culture where failure is seen as part of the learning process, not something to hide.Quote of the Show:“If you're hesitant to pivot, you probably have false positives that you might be pointing to that might be holding you back, but I do think there's another part to it which is the sunk-cost fallacy.” - Nick FreundLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-from-workstream/ Website: https://substack.com/@nicholasfreund Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261 Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast #NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #FailingForward

Eran Gil, CEO of AllCloud and co-founder of Cloud Sherpas, delves into his leadership philosophies and experiences in cloud consulting. He emphasizes the value of transparency in fostering trust within teams and discusses the complexities of managing diverse, multicultural groups. Eran highlights the influence of key partnerships with cloud giants like AWS and Salesforce on growth. He shares personal insights on mentorship, particularly from his father, and explores the exciting opportunities for expanding AllCloud's market presence.

Craig Walker shares insights from his 20+ year journey in business communications, focusing on the importance of effective communication and transparency in leadership. He discusses the significance of overcommunication and building strong team dynamics, especially in a global context. Reflecting on his transition from Google to entrepreneurship, he emphasizes selecting the right investors for long-term growth. Craig also highlights the need for joy in B2B tools and shares strategies for successful hiring during a startup’s early stages.