(This episode mentions suicide.)

Evgeny Shadchnev speaks with Adam Fudakowski, founding CEO of Switchee. Adam recounts the journey of founding Switchee in 2015, the tragic loss of his co-founder Ian, and the decision to hire an external CEO, Tom Robins, in 2020.

Adam elaborates on the emotional challenges of the CEO transition, and the deep impact on the company's growth. He shares insights on the importance of self-awareness, effective communication, and the sabbatical that paved the way for a successful leadership handover.

00:00 Introduction

02:20 Founding story of Switchee

03:57 Death of Adam's co-founder Ian

10:34 Search for the new CEO

15:17 CEO Transition process

18:39 Building a relationship between the founder and the CEO

20:18 Impact on the senior team

22:32 Impact on the business

23:39 Founder and CEO skill sets

26:46 Conversation with the board

29:15 Not stepping on each other's toes

32:00 Three month sabbatical

34:53 Advice for founders

38:33 Advice for investors

39:57 Advice for incoming CEOs

41:15 Adam's role after stepping down

44:47 Summary

You can watch the episode on YouTube. Find out more about Evgeny's work on Substack.Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon US, Amazon UK and others.

Rory Stirling, a partner at Connect Ventures, joins Evgeny Shadchnev to discuss the complexities of CEO transitions in startups.

The conversation delves into why founder-CEO discussions around stepping down are challenging, the importance of building trust between founders and investors, and what considerations both parties should have when navigating these delicate transitions.

Rory shares valuable insights from his 15-year career, including the importance of recognizing when a founder is no longer the right CEO and the processes involved in finding a new leader. The discussion highlights the significant role of founders, the critical aspect of handling CEO succession maturely, and the long-term commitment and timeframe required for such transitions.

00:00 Introduction

01:01 About Rory

01:56 Why founders and VCs find it hard to talk about CEO change

05:43 How to talk to a VC about stepping down

07:25 Discussing CEO succession during fundraising

15:20 How CEO role changes as the startup grows

16:31 Importance of founders for company success

22:56 Investors' reaction to CEO change

32:50 Right and wrong reasons to step down

38:33 Founder guilt about stepping down

42:21 What happens after the decision is taken

48:05 Transition timelines

50:52 Parting advice to founders and investors

54:10 The opportunity costs of not stepping down

You can watch the episode on YouTube.

Follow the podcast and connect with Evgeny's work on Substack.

Welcome to the Startup CEO Succession, where we dive deep into the pivotal journey of founder CEOs navigating the critical decision: should you continue leading your business or bring in a new leader?

I'm your host, Evgeny Shadchnev, and in each episode, we will examine the challenges, strategies, and success stories of leadership transitions in the startup world.

Whether you're a founder considering your next move, a professional CEO ready to take over, or an investor navigating the process, join us as we uncover insights that will help you steer your company towards a successful future!

Find out more about my work at substack.evgeny.coach.

This podcast is available on YouTube.

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is out now: https://www.evgeny.coach/book

Avin Rabheru, the founder and CEO of Housekeep, talks to Evgeny Shadchnev about navigating a CEO succession. They discuss the challenges founders face in transitioning to professional leadership. Avin shares insights into the inflexion points in a company's growth, when founders might consider stepping down, and emphasises the importance of continuous learning for founders.

00:00 Introduction

03:31 Most Founders Think They're Great

07:30 Two out of Three Times Founders Are Pushed Out

09:47 Inflection Points in Business Growth

19:04 Could Someone Run Housekeep Better?

21:51 Balancing Leadership and Personal Life

25:16 Roles of Founder and CEO at Housekeep

29:48 What Founders Bring To The Table

32:51 Why Most Founding Teams Get Replaced

36:08 Identifying Strong Founders

42:37 "I Encourage All Founders To Just Keep Going"

50:42 A Fundamental Betrayal

53:16 Final Reflections

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1HLZTR 

Graham Hobson, founder of Photobox, Europe’s largest personalisation company, and Evgeny Shadchnev explore Graham's decision to hand over leadership to an external CEO as Photobox began to scale. Graham discusses the challenges and benefits of this transition, sharing his experiences with burnout and recovery. Additionally, they delve into Graham's advocacy work with Patriotic Millionaires UK, focusing on wealth taxation and social responsibility.

00:00 Introduction

01:59 Should We Tax Wealthy People More?

12:53 The Early Days of Photobox

18:18 A Merger with a Competitor

22:11 The Toughest Boss I Ever Had

29:13 Being Part of an Executive Team

30:00 Challenges That Shape Us

35:04 When To Go Fast and When To Go Slow

37:33 Advice To Own Son

41:36 Advice To Other Founder CEOs

46:26 Fresh Eyes Exercise for Leaders

51:02 Final Thoughts

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1HLZTR 

Jonathan Lerner of Smedvig Ventures discusses the critical journey from founder to CEO: the challenges of this transition, the importance of early and open conversations about CEO succession, and how speaking more openly about CEO succession can help founders be happier and help investors enjoy higher returns.

“It's a really big transition from founder to CEO. We need to talk about it more as an industry.  It is not a failure to not make it; it is merely, I guess, a statement of what you are great at and what you're not great at.

Once we get to that point, we'll have far happier founders and investors;  we'll have more successful businesses as well, so that the returns will ultimately be better.”

This podcast is hosted by Evgeny Shadchnev, an ex-CEO, author and founder coach specialising in CEO succession. Find out more about his work at evgeny.coach.

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is out now. Get your copy on Amazon.

00:00 Introduction

01:35 What got you here won't get you there

03:23 CEO transition from VC's point of view  

10:11 When to start delegating

15:52 Backing founders, not evaluating CEOs

18:10 When is a startup ready for a new CEO?

21:11 Founders starting a succession conversation

27:25 Investors starting a succession conversation

29:49 Legal aspects of asking a CEO to leave

32:30 Wisdom of discussing it early

36:32 Transitioning to a non-CEO role

40:59 Rebalancing the cap table

43:09 Aligning a fundraise with a CEO succession

48:54 Internal vs external candidates

50:59 "It always happens too late"

52:31 Raising it at the board level

53:51 Balancing different responsibilities

56:18 The cost of not being close to the business

59:06 What helps founders grow into CEOs

01:02:18 Shifting the conversation as a community

01:04:17 The importance of building trust

01:06:38 Summary of the conversation

Tom Robins shares the story of taking over from Adam Fudakowski, A founder of Switchee, as the CEO.

We discuss the process of getting the first job as CEO, the differences between a founder's skill set and an operator's skill set, the dynamics of the relationship between a new CEO and the previous CEO if they stay on the team, and the board's role in the process.

00:00 Introduction

01:32 Joining Switchee

05:15 Founders vs CEOs

12:36 Landing the first CEO job

20:09 Taking an interim title

22:37 A 3-month sabbatical for the CEO

29:12 Earning the team's trust

32:45 Renegotiating the relationship with the founder

39:07 Building bridges with the board

42:43 Reshaping the senior team

44:38 Advice for aspiring CEOs

47:24 What founder CEOs get wrong

53:08 Episode summary

Evgeny Shadchnev is a founder coach who works with entrepreneurs and CEOs to ensure smooth CEO successions. Find out more about his work at www.evgeny.coach.

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is out now. Find it on Amazon in hardcover, paperback and Kindle formats.

Evgeny Shadchnev discusses the transition of leadership at Makers, a tech talent and training platform, with Claudia Harris, who succeeded him as CEO. They reflect on their journey, starting from Claudia's initial role as chair of the board through the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the critical steps in the handover process. Claudia shares insights into managing the transition and the importance of doing work you love.

00:00 Introduction

01:47 What is Makers?

03:58 From Chairman to CEO of Makers

06:36 The Initial Conversations About Succession

11:13 The Decision to Change the CEO

18:35 Navigating the Pandemic

22:59 The Handover Process

31:12 First Crisis as the New CEO

35:11 Biggest Lessons

39:25 Final Reflections

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1HLZTR 

Henrik Hagemann, founder and former CEO of Puraffinity, joins Evgeny Shadchnev to explore Henrik's journey from founding the company to realising the need for a new CEO to take the business to the next level. Henrik discusses the challenges of making the decision together with the board, the rigorous executive search process, and how to handle the emotional and practical aspects of stepping down. They also delve into the importance of maintaining multiple personal identities outside the CEO role, the future vision for Puraffinity and Henrik’s new role.

00:00 Introduction

01:42 About Puraffinity

04:53 Henrik's Role as Founding CEO

08:57 The Decision to Step Down as CEO

23:30 The Search for a New CEO

35:57 Inclusive Hiring and Psychometrics Tools

39:36 Zeroing in on the Successful Candidate

42:16 Handover and Onboarding

46:29 Transitioning from CEO to New Role

51:29 Transition Lessons and Next Steps

56:56 Advice to Other Founders

01:01:30 Final Thoughts

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1HLZTR 

Alicia Navarro, founder and ex-CEO of Skimlinks, takes us through her journey from founding Skimlinks and building it into a leading content monetisation platform to making the tough decision to step down as CEO after 11 years and promote one of her senior leaders to the CEO position. Two years later, the new CEO successfully exited the company. Alicia and I discuss the difference between founder-CEO and scale-up CEO in the context of preparing to sell a VC-backed business.

00:00 Introduction

01:38 Founding Skimlinks

05:53 Deciding to Step Down as CEO

10:22 The Transition Process and Board Dynamics

15:02 Physical and Emotional Toll of Leadership

17:12 0-to-1 Founders and 1-to-N Founders

22:08 Post-CEO Work as President

23:45 Power Handover

29:02 Team Reactions and Culture Shift

30:48 Post-Transition Success

33:20 Reflecting on Leadership and Lessons Learned

37:35 Board's Role in the Transition

39:05 Life After the Exit

41:22 Advice for Founders and Future CEOs

49:46 The Importance of Succession Planning

51:32 Final Reflections

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1HLZTR 

Øyvind Reed, the founder and ex-CEO of Whereby, recounts his journey of building and leading a global video conferencing company from a small Norwegian town, navigating explosive growth during the pandemic amidst intense competition from global giants, before deciding to step down as the CEO.

00:00 Introduction

01:43 The Founding Story of Whereby

03:35 Growth During the Pandemic

09:53 The Decision to Step Down as CEO

14:55 Transitioning the Leadership

20:43 Involving the Board

30:00 Internal vs External Candidates

32:28 Executing the CEO Transition Plan

33:51 The Emotional Impact of Stepping Down

35:10 Transition Timeline

37:52 Becoming the Executive Chair

38:59 Balancing Family and Professional Life

43:28 Finding the Next Professional Step

45:54 Being a Founder CEO vs. Hired CEO

47:34 Impact on the Family

49:47 Post-Transition Reflections

56:36 Advice for Founders and Investors

01:00:51 Closing Thoughts

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1HLZTR 

Nic Yeeles, VP of Product at Resi, and Evgeny Shadchnev discuss Nic’s journey from founder and CEO of several businesses to transitioning into a VP of Product role at another startup. The conversation delves into Nic’s strategies for rebranding himself for the VP of Product role and his experiences as the right-hand man of different CEOs. He emphasises the value a former founder brings to a startup, the importance of 'fake it till you make it,' and the transformative power of resourcefulness.

00:00 Introduction

02:30 Founding and Exiting Peg

04:54 Founding a Climate Impact Startup

08:16 Trying a Consulting Role

11:16 The Ex-CEO Advantage

13:42 Choosing the Next Career Step

17:47 Interviewing for a Role You Never Performed

22:51 Navigating Cultural Alignment

25:44 Power of Personal Networks

28:07 Joining Resi as a VP Product

31:12 The Challenge of Identity Shift

32:53 Working with Non-Founder C-Level Executives

35:21 The Value of Entrepreneurial Skills

37:04 The Costs of Not Starting Another Business

38:34 Choosing Startups Over Large Companies

40:39 Considering Freelance and Advisory Roles

41:53 Lessons Learned

53:34 Hiring Ex-entrepreneurs

58:03 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon.

Jamie Undrell, founder and chair of SaveMyExams, and Evgeny talk about Jamie’s journey from founding the company to stepping down as CEO in March 2024 in favour of his trusted COO, Constance. We discuss balancing intuition and rational analysis behind the decision, the differences between leading a bootstrapped versus a venture-backed company, the merits of an internal successor, and Jamie's new role and future plans. 

(Disclaimer: Evgeny coached Jamie through this CEO transition.)

00:00 Introduction

01:46 Founding Story of SaveMyExams

03:35 The Decision to Step Down as CEO

05:57 Starting the Transition Early

09:01 Mitigating Fears and Concerns

10:59 Internal Vs External Candidates

15:15 Adjusting to the New Role as Chair

17:00 Impact on the Team and the Business

19:25 Personal Reflections and Advice for Founders

30:24 Future Plans

32:38 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon.

Simon La Fosse founded La Fosse Associates, a leading IT talent solutions agency, in 2007. Since then, he has appointed two CEOs, and both CEO transitions have been successful, as evidenced by the growth of the business: almost £200m in revenues and nearly 500 employees.

Simon and Evgeny discuss the importance of recognising one's limitations and the complexities involved in transitioning leadership roles within a company. Simon shares his experience of promoting internal talent over external hires, turning La Fosse into an employee-owned company, and maintaining company values during challenging times.

00:00 Introduction

03:08 Founding La Fosse Associates

05:40 Core Values: Co-Ownership and Care

10:24 Upholding Values During Hard Times

14:34 First CEO Transition

20:08 Navigating an Inflection Point

23:41 Second CEO Transition

27:11 Trusting Founder's Intuition

29:52 Developing a People-First Culture

31:20 Simon's Next Chapter

33:46 An Ecosystem of Support

36:21 Balancing Work and Life

40:55 Advice for Future Founders

47:44 Final Reflections and Takeaways

Evgeny Shadchnev is a founder coach who works with entrepreneurs and CEOs to ensure smooth CEO successions. Find out more about his work at www.evgeny.coach.

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is out now. Find it on Amazon.

Gretchen Lennon, founder of Lennon Legal, joins Evgeny Shadchnev to discuss key legal aspects of CEO succession.

We explore the importance of obtaining independent legal advice, understanding good and bad leaver provisions, negotiating settlement agreements, the potential tax implications tied to shares and share options, and more.Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

02:31 Hypothetical CEO Resignation

05:06 Unfair Dismissal

08:12 Shares,  Options and Taxes

16:36 Getting Legal and Tax Advice

18:37 Negotiating Settlement Agreements

21:59 Post-Termination Restrictions

26:42 Staying with the Business as an ex-CEO

32:16 Rebalancing the Cap Table

37:21 Anti-embarrassment Provisions

40:18 Renegotiating the SHA and the Articles

42:58 The Reasons to Start Preparing Early

47:15 LennonLegal.com

48:03 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

Get in touch with Gretchen Lennon at gretchen@lennonlegal.com to get legal advice tailored to your situation.

Find our more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach at www.evgeny.coach.

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is out now. Get your copy on Amazon.

Jerry Colonna changed my life as a leader.

I first met Jerry at his CEO Bootcamp in the Colorado Rockies in 2015. As a newly minted CEO, I joined a small group of founders hosted by Jerry and his team on a stunning ranch. It was my first coaching experience.

Those five days profoundly shifted my trajectory as a leader. It's difficult to capture exactly what happened there, but I began learning how to lead from the heart, not just the head.

Jerry and I became friends. His books, Reboot and Reunion, have deeply touched me and many of my friends. When I stepped down as CEO of Makers in 2020, I chose to train as a founder coach myself, inspired by his impact.

Later, Jerry generously wrote the foreword to my book, Startup CEO Succession, sharing reflections from our journey together. In this special conversation, we explore CEO successions, why pursuing wholeness matters more than chasing happiness, and why inner work is a lifelong adventure.

Enjoy the episode!

Timestamps

(Clickable on Youtube)

00:00 Introduction

02:32 Over-Identification with Work

07:23 True Self and False Self

15:00 This Suffering is Avoidable

27:28 "I'm 61. It took 60 years, you know?"

33:59 Wisdom Practices

40:04 Love, Safety and Belonging

48:22 Letting Go vs Giving Up

53:10 Standing Still When Your Hair Is On Fire

56:14 Challenges That Are Not Ours To Face

01:00:25 Successful CEO Transitions

01:09:07 Final Reflections

Matt Colebourne, a seasoned entrepreneur and professional CEO with over 30 years of experience, joins Evgeny to discuss the critical decision founders face about whether to continue leading their business or bring in new leadership.

Matt shares his journey, which includes starting and selling an AI company in the mid-nineties and turning around and exiting five other companies since.

Their conversation covers the importance of self-awareness and soft skills in leadership, practical challenges in growing and scaling technology businesses, and the nuanced decisions around CEO succession and leadership transitions. 

00:00 Introduction

01:53 Matt Colebourne's Career Journey

07:07 Replacing Founder CEO at Searchmetrics

17:06 Stepping Down vs Compensating for Weaknesses

22:36 Transforming Searchmetrics

26:52 Product Features vs Customer Needs

32:47 Turning around Qwist Group

39:34 Advice for Founders, CEOs and Investors

53:53 Final Reflections

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1HLZTR 

Judit Petho, a seasoned executive with a multifaceted career spanning roles as a lawyer, global CEO, and startup leader, joins Evgeny to discuss her journey from corporate law to leading one of the world's largest consultancy firms, and then to turning around and scaling startups. She emphasises the importance of adaptability, understanding business resources and people management at different levels of company scale. Judith shares insights on the critical role of soft skills in leadership, the challenges of managing investor relations and transformation projects, and the evolving dynamics of leadership in remote and hybrid work environments. 

00:00 Introduction

01:05 Judit's Professional Background

09:32 Fixed vs Beginner's Mindset

15:01 CEO: Same Title, Three Different Jobs

18:17 Role of a COO

24:03 The Job of a CEO

34:10 The Importance of Soft Skills

44:11 The Importance of Listening

47:17 Building Soft Skills in a Hybrid World

58:34 Final Reflections

Find Judit Petho at juditpetho.com.

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1HLZTR 

Dhruv Ghulati, founder and former CEO of Factmata, a startup focused on tackling misinformation using AI, shares his in-depth journey from founding the company to stepping down as CEO. We discuss incentivising early-stage team members, the challenges faced by solo founders, and the critical moments of product pivots and funding struggles. Dhruv also talks about his decision to hire a successor CEO, leading to the eventual acquisition of Factmata, and reflects on his transition from startup life to roles in larger companies like Onfido and Uber.

00:00 Introduction

01:35 Factmata's Early Days

05:14 Equity for Early Team Members

10:45 Fundraising for a Pivot

20:15 Fundraising as a Solo Founder

24:21 Delegating to the Team

30:41 Constant Fundraising

36:59 Finding a Replacement CEO

38:56 The Second Attempt to Hire a CEO

44:05 Next Steps After Factmata

46:16 Preparing for Acquisition

52:54 Post-Exit Reflections and Career Transition

01:02:42 Final Reflections

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1HLZTR

Evgeny Shadchnev interviews Neal Gandhi, founder and ex-CEO of TPXimpact. Gandhi shares his journey of leading TPXimpact from a small Bulgarian company to a public entity with £90 million in revenue in just five years. The discussion covers the challenges of hyper growth, the importance of planning for extreme success, and the complexities of CEO succession. Gandhi reflects on the strategic decisions, the role of self-awareness, and the importance of building a strong senior management team to complement a founder's strengths.

00:00 Introduction

01:29 Neal Gandhi's Entrepreneurial Journey

05:36 Stepping Down as CEO

09:17 Navigating the CEO Transition

14:35 Running a Business in Hyper-Growth Mode

16:57 "Honestly, It Was a Surprise"

22:49 Choosing a Successor

25:54 Do CEOs Have to Step Down?

28:52 What Could Have Gone Differently?

38:47 Transition to New Leadership

41:50 Next Steps

45:18 Advice for Founders and CEOs

50:14 Advice for Boards

55:28 Public vs. Private Company CEO Succession

58:48 Final Reflections

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1HLZTR 

James McAulay, founder of Encore, a marketplace for booking live music bands and Evgeny Shadchnev discuss James’ journey of leaving the business. James shares his transformative experience of taking a two-month sabbatical that helped him overcome burnout, successfully sell his company, and promote an insider to lead it. Now poised to join ElevenLabs, a leading AI company, James delves into his personal journey of meditation, running, and mental wellness.

00:00 Introduction

02:13 The Journey of Encore

05:16 Startup Challenges and Burnout

07:03 The Sabbatical Decision

12:13 Preparing for Succession

18:43 Returning to Encore

23:52 Meditation and Mindfulness

32:43 The Power of Running

35:10 Choosing to Step Away from Encore

40:43 Choosing the Next Step

44:51 Joining Eleven Labs

51:40 Advice for Founders

58:14 Final Reflections

The blog post about running that was mentioned: https://jamesmcaulay.co.uk/running-with-spirit/ 

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1HLZTR 

Evgeny Shadchnev discusses the complex journey of CEO transitions in venture-backed startups with Maria Josife, a partner at the executive search firm Erevena. They delve into the triggers for considering a CEO change, how to approach the process strategically, and the importance of starting conversations early.

00:00 Introduction

01:32 About Erevena

04:15 The Complexities of CEO Succession in Venture-Backed Startups

08:50 Replacing vs Augmenting a Founder CEO

11:01 Starting the Conversation Early

16:19 The Timeline and Process for a Smooth CEO Transition

22:41 The Role of Coaches, Chairs, and Non-Execs in CEO Succession

26:17 Hire Right to Remain as CEO

33:50 The Drivers of Success of CEO Change

37:17 The Risks of Hiring with Intent to Promote to CEO

39:58 First-time CEOs vs Experienced CEOs

42:14 Insiders vs Outsiders

44:12 What Happens to Founder CEOs After They Step Down

47:36 Advice for Founders And Investors

56:38 Key Takeaways

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1HLZTR 

Nic Brisbourne, senior partner at Molten Ventures, and Evgeny Shadchnev talk about their experiences with CEO transitions in startups. They discuss the complexities and risks involved in changing a CEO in a VC-backed business, sharing personal stories and lessons learned from their decade-long professional relationship.

00:00 Introduction

02:14 How Not To Force Out a CEO

09:12 The Risks Of Removing a CEO

10:52 Selecting the Right Successor

14:59 We'll Invest If You Step Down

19:58 CEO Transition at Makers

27:05 Key Factors for a Successful Transition

32:00 How To Start Discussing a CEO Succession

39:42 CEO Performance vs Company Performance

41:25 Advice for Founders and Investors

49:01 Final Reflections

Learn more about Evgeny's work as a CEO coach: https://www.evgeny.coach

Startup CEO Succession: a Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1HLZTR