Jeff Stump, Head of Executive Talent at a16z, shares early positive feedback from Lyft founders Logan Green and John Zimmer regarding executive hire Brian Roberts.
Disclosure
An executive left a $6M-$7M compensation package for an a16z startup
“We have an executive joining one of our companies, and she's leaving a six to seven million dollar annual package on the table to go do this thing, and, like, what better example do you need, like, and it wasn't a difficult decision for her, like, she just bel…”
Insight
Executive hire performance typically becomes clear in months three and four
“There's a honeymoon period, as we call it, and then, you know, the rubber, rubber usually meets the road, I would say, in month three, month four where, like, is, is this person usually, and usually, are they doing a good job?”
Insight
Startup executives are completely exposed with nowhere to hide
“The unique thing about a startup, there is nowhere to hide, right? I mean, there's nowhere to hide. You know, you can't crawl under a desk, like, you're completely exposed as an executive in a young company, because everything's your fault.”
Insight
Company traditions reveal true culture better than stated values
“I think traditions of companies are kind of more demonstrate what the company's about than what they perceive their cultural values to be.”
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Brian Chesky prioritizes candidates' belief in Airbnb's mission during hiring
“There's definitely companies in our portfolio like Brian Chesky at Airbnb that that care deeply about the interest of people that are joining Airbnb. Do they believe in the movement? Do they believe in the cause?”
Assertion Not checkable as stated
100-day plan presentations consistently break ties between executive candidates
“Very rarely do we have our portfolios company CEOs come out of that and saying, this is still a close race.”