Allebest: A TV show on the Hans Niemann cheating controversy drops in 2025
Erik Allebest · How Chess.com Founder Built A $150 Million ARR Empire With Zero VC Funding | Erik Allebest | Neon · Dec 27, 2024 · at 1:03:40
Erik Allebest is the co-founder and CEO of Chess.com, discussing the public fallout and sleepless nights caused by the 2022 Hans Niemann cheating scandal.
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“Wait for the TV show next year. You'll, you'll, you'll hear more about it.”
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More from Erik Allebest
Allebest: Founders are naive about the friction of forced VC exits
“I think people are a little bit Naive about the downsides of raising money. Ultimately your investors will want an exit and it may not be at the same time as you. And for a business that's as mission driven as chess.com is, it's, it has at times been irritatin…”
Allebest: We tell every hire that Chess.com will never be their highest-paying job
“One thing we tell people who work at chess.com, every single person who gets hired,
They hear the same thing, which is chess.com will never be your highest paying job. We're just economically not set up for it.”
Allebest: Running Chess.com today is much more stressful than his earlier ventures
“I, you know, in, in many ways I was happier than I am today because the stress of chess.com today is so much more than it was back then. So, you know, I don't wish a huge success on anyone. It can be quite a burden at times to be totally honest.”
Allebest: Pure executive leadership makes no sense for startups under 20 people
“There's not really a role for a leader in a startup that's, you know, you got to get your hands dirty. You got to roll up your sleeves. You have to have vision. You have to be directive. You know, and so I think, you know, being a CEO leader at an, you know, a…”