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.

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