E03 — Nailing the First CEO Job with Tom Robins
Description
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.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit substack.evgeny.coach
United States
