Ilir Sela, founder and CEO of Slice, addresses how leaders should handle cross-border communication and cultural differences across distributed international offices.
“What I've learned is I think it's probably more important to just embrace the silos. I don't think you can prevent them because every single geography, every single region has its own cultural dynamics.”
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More from Ilir Sela
Opinion
Ilir Sela: 'Hire great people and get out of the way' is bullshit advice
“It's complete bullshit. I mean, I used to feel like, okay, hire great people, get out of the way, and I've done that. I've done that many times, and every time I've done that, things have failed.”
Ilir SelaAug 4, 2023▶ 18:10Ilir Sela: How I Founded Slice Pizza & Became One of Macedonia’s Largest Employers | E1044 · 20VC with Harry Stebbings
AssertionSupported
Ilir Sela turned down an $18 million acquisition offer for MyPizza
“I had just gotten my first acquisition offer. You know, the offer to sell the company for eighteen million dollars would have been awesome. Sole owner. No debt. Eighteen million dollars would have been great. And I turned it down.”
Ilir SelaAug 4, 2023▶ 9:05Ilir Sela: How I Founded Slice Pizza & Became One of Macedonia’s Largest Employers | E1044 · 20VC with Harry Stebbings
Insight
Sela: Single-niche software startups face instant TAM skepticism during growth slowdowns
“And so because of our very clear focus on one segment, pizza shops, Any moment where Slice's performance hasn't been best in class, immediately the assumption is you're TAM constrained.”
Ilir SelaAug 4, 2023▶ 30:24Ilir Sela: How I Founded Slice Pizza & Became One of Macedonia’s Largest Employers | E1044 · 20VC with Harry Stebbings
Opinion
Sela: Series B founders cannot step back while still figuring out product and GTM
“This is a series B company that's still figuring out what exactly is the go to, what are the go to market motions? What is the product? We are hiring people like crazy. Like, I don't think you can get out of the way at that point.”
Ilir SelaAug 4, 2023▶ 33:57Ilir Sela: How I Founded Slice Pizza & Became One of Macedonia’s Largest Employers | E1044 · 20VC with Harry Stebbings
Opinion
Sela: Horizontal software like Owner.com cannot successfully vertically integrate across restaurant types
“A restaurant that sells a different product and maybe has table service is a very different business than a pizza shop, which is a very different business than a coffee shop. Now, They may all have the similar need of commerce, which is what a company like own…”
Ilir SelaAug 4, 2023▶ 40:22Ilir Sela: How I Founded Slice Pizza & Became One of Macedonia’s Largest Employers | E1044 · 20VC with Harry Stebbings
Insight
Sela: Luck and timing do not exist, success is mostly hard work
“I don't know that luck and timing really exist. It's really mostly hard work.”
Ilir SelaAug 4, 2023▶ 1:02:56Ilir Sela: How I Founded Slice Pizza & Became One of Macedonia’s Largest Employers | E1044 · 20VC with Harry Stebbings
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