Happy Birthday, Startmate! 10 years ago, Niki Scevak and 25 first believers launched Startmate in a coffee shop in Surry Hills with not much more than a ‘strayan name, skin in the game and conviction that Aussies have a shot on the global stage they can claim. In the first…

A learning journey of how startup CEOs work. — #15 Nicole Kuepper-Russell / Deputy-CEO @ 5B How do you Deputy-CEO? Chris (CEO) and I have known each other for 17 years and worked together for 2.5 years. We have enormously complementary skills. Chris generates and advocates a really long-term vision of product and expertise in delivering technology on commercial solar projects. He’s an inventor, a tinkerer…

A learning journey of how startup CEOs work. — #14 Zoë Milgrom / CCO @ Eugene How do you CCO? I co-founded Eugene in 2017 with Kunal, but didn’t have a title at the time. I have no legal, accounting, or “traditional” business background whilst Kunal is a serial entrepreneur. I kept hearing that I should have one and since I have a background in genetics and thus domain expertise…

A learning journey of how startup CEOs work. — #13 Lauren Humphrey / CEO @ The Mintable How do you CEO? For me, CEO has been a shape-shifting title. Every month my cofounder and I write out and prioritize the jobs to be done in order for the business to succeed. We ask: What can I best do with my skills? And Mel with hers? What can the team handle best? …

A learning journey of how startup CEOs work. — #12 Michael Batko / CEO @ Startmate How do you CEO? I keep reminding myself about my own job description as a CEO and pull out of the day-to-day as much as I can. Set a vision and strategy. Get the money to execute. Hire the team to execute. Hold the team accountable. Evangelise the vision. The job keeps changing as…

A learning journey of how startup CEOs work. — #11 Duncan Anderson / Co-CEO @ Edrolo How do you CEO? Ben, Jeremy and I split the job. “If you are pointed in the right direction then it doesn’t matter how slow you are going you are making progress. If you are pointed in the wrong direction then it doesn’t matter how fast you are going you are not making progress.” …

A learning journey of how startup CEOs work. — #10 Dider Elzinga / CEO @ Culture Amp How do you CEO? I’ll answer with a reflection on my time as a CEO. As the company gets bigger, there’s less and less that you have to do. Early on it is easy to determine what has to be done like customer calls, writing code, etc. …

A learning journey of how startup CEOs work. — #9 Margot Balch / CEO @ The OneTwo How do you CEO? It changes so much over the startup lifecycle. The main role of the CEO is to set the vision and then implement it. In an early-stage startup there is a lofty vision that gets investors excited. But then there’s the question of how do we get it done, allocating scarce resources and…

A learning journey of how startup CEOs work. — #8 Rory San Miguel / CEO @ Propeller Aero How do you CEO? I do it through people by building great relationships and keeping connected with all parts of our team and our customers. I prioritise getting to know people and will gladly pick up the phone to nut out a topic with someone 1on1, even if it’s not the most efficient way…