This Month at Silicon Valley Icons
March 2024
Dear SV Icons Community,
Thanks to our special gatherings with Tony Stubblebine, CEO of Medium, and the inaugural Icons Founder Panel featuring Stanford's leading early-stage founders, March has been an exhilarating month filled with insights and inspiring conversations. Here's a recap of the wisdom and guidance shared during these events.
TL;DR:
Tony Stubblebine (CEO of Medium) explained the significance of presenting content that resonates with customers over the content they merely click on.
Kirsten Green (Founder of Forerunner Ventures) invested in companies targeting digitally savvy customers who want to be delighted by experiences.
Mar Hershenson (Founder of Pear VC) built one of the leading VC shops in the world by creating a community of talented people and investing in underdog immigrant founders.
Omar Shaya (Co-founder of MultiOn) intensely prioritizes what is truly important for the company's success.
Jared Quincy Davis (Co-founder of Foundry) aligns with the collective advice of not giving up on finding product-market fit.
Sasankh Munukutla (Co-founder of Terradot) highlighted the importance of being prepared for the journey's ups and downs, suggesting a mindset geared towards resilience and continuous effort.
Chyngyz Dzhumanazarov (Co-founder of KODIF) emphasizes energy management over time management, a critical aspect of leadership that can significantly impact a team's morale and productivity.
Georgi Koreli (Co-founder of Hinkal Protocol) underscored the value of having a strong emotional support system before embarking on the entrepreneurial journey, reflecting on the emotional resilience required to navigate the challenges of building a startup.
Truly Resonates with Customers, Tony Stubblebin, CEO of Medium
We were honored to host Tony Stubblebine, who shared valuable lessons from his journey at Medium. Key highlights from the discussion included the importance of identifying allies within an organization, the significance of clear roles and content curation, and the strategy of presenting content that truly resonates with customers. Tony also emphasized the importance of self-improvement and expressing daily gratitude as foundations for personal and professional growth.
In the process of turning things around, it's essential to identify your allies and cultivate confidence within the organization.
Clear delineation of roles and thoughtful curation of content are crucial. Each role should tie into a growth hypothesis.
Present content that resonates with customers rather than merely what they click on.
A product ultimately reflects what consumers engage with.
If you start a company and cannot take a vacation, you are building a job, not a business.
Self-improvement is a personalized journey; finding the right approach is key to progress.
Express gratitude by sharing two things you're thankful for with your partner daily. Over time, this practice will accumulate countless expressions of appreciation.
Inaugural Icons Founder Panel
Our panel featured insights from Omar Shaya (MultiOn), Jared Quincy Davis (Foundry), Sasankh Munukutla (Terradot), Chyngyz Dzhumanazarov (KODIF), and Georgi Koreli (Hinkal Protocol). The founders shared lessons on focus, persistence, the quest for product-market fit, and the value of a strong support system. Additional advice covered hiring, fundraising, finding product-market fit, and effective selling techniques, providing a comprehensive roadmap for startup success.
Focus and Prioritization: The best founders know where to concentrate their focus, identifying what is truly important for their company's success and intensely prioritizing these areas. This involves being willing to compromise on other aspects to excel in critical areas.
Persistence Through Challenges: Building a startup is inherently filled with ups and downs, requiring incredible persistence to succeed. Founders should be mentally prepared for a journey that is significantly more challenging than anticipated in every aspect.
Product-Market Fit is Key: A consistent theme was the importance of not giving up on finding product-market fit. One founder shared that it took over two years and four different ideas to find the right fit, underscoring the necessity of resilience in the product development process.
The Importance of a Strong Support System: Before starting a company, ensuring a strong emotional support system is in place was advised as critical. This system can provide the emotional resilience needed to navigate the highs and lows of startup life
As we look forward to more enriching events, let's continue to support each other in our quests for innovation, growth, and making a meaningful impact. Stay tuned for what's next event at Silicon Valley Icons!