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Russakow: Startups operate like small planes where violent turbulence is normal

Jeff Russakow · 20VC: One Question Founders Must Ask Themselves When Approaching Investor Selection, Why Series B Is One Of The Most Challenging Phases & What Makes For A Successful CEO Transition with Jeff Russakow, CEO @ Boosted · Apr 5, 2019 · at 18:12

Jeff Russakow, CEO of Boosted, compares the operational environment of large corporations versus early-stage startups using an aviation metaphor.

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“When you're in a big company, you're like in a jet airliner. You barely notice all but the biggest air pockets, and it's this pretty smooth ride. When you go into a startup or growth company, it's more like getting into a two-seater little airplane that's like a kite with an engine on it, and so you bounce around, and you get buffeted a lot more by the wind and the events, and so it's very natural to become alarmed or freaked out the first time you suddenly plunge 25 feet. But after a while, you get used to it, because you realize that's just the nature of being in a small plane.”

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