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Pfeffer on Power

Pfeffer on Power

Jeffrey Pfeffer

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Jeffrey Pfeffer is a professor at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, Author of ‘7 Rules of Power,’ and speaker. Each episode he sits down with a guest who has used these rules of power to enhance and advance their businesses and their own careers in the process. Listen to hear real advice about practical uses of power from the people who wield it in their professional lives with great skill. Level up your own game, and get comfortable with your own POWER.

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Top 10 Pfeffer on Power Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Pfeffer on Power episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Pfeffer on Power for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Pfeffer on Power episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Pfeffer on Power - Ep 4 – Dr. Sarah Buchner, Serial Entrepreneur
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09/27/22 • 18 min

Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books: https://JeffreyPfeffer.com/

SHOW NOTES:

Dr. Sarah Buchner shares what she’s learned in my Paths to Power class at Stanford in the MBA program and how she’s successfully applied power to her career as the Queen of Construction.

  • How the power game began for her when she started her career at age 12 in Austria
  • The ways she learned to show her power
  • The advantages of being an outsider
  • The uniqueness of her PhD
  • Why she always uses “Dr.” in her email signature
  • How she financed her PhD
  • Ideas about breaking the rules and standing out
  • What from the class and book, 7 Rules of Power, are helping launch her startup
  • The boldest networking moves she’s made
  • The benefits of getting out of your way
  • What she’s done with branding herself in terms of appearance and acting with power to build her brand
  • The secret to her handshake and other branding decisions
  • Why her first business cards stood out
  • How success has helped activate the “success excuses everything” principle
  • Networking the right way
  • The bold statement she made to a board member while in her 20s

SARAH’S BIO:

Dr. Sarah Buchner holds a PhD in civil systems engineering/data science and a Stanford MBA and is a serial entrepreneur in the construction tech space. She is the definition of self-made: growing up in a tiny village in Austria in a non-college family she started her career when she was 12 years old as a carpenter and worked her way up in the construction industry. Her current startup (performance management software/fintech) targets the skilled labor shortage in the US. She is starting with the construction industry, but her plan is to expand into oil and gas, mining, agriculture and other spaces where there is a tight (day) labor market. Her mission is to put more money back into the people's pocket who actually do the work: the craft.

Sarah's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-buchner/

Produced by the MunnAvenuePress.com

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Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books: https://JeffreyPfeffer.com/

SHOW NOTES:

Jason Calacanis is an entrepreneur and angel investor, amongst many other things, and shares with us three rules of power that have made him an incredibly effective business person.

  • How Jason turned $100,000 into $100 million
  • Growing up in middle-class Brooklyn
  • Fixing laser printers by day and going to Fordham at night
  • The unconventional way he got into Fordham • Willingness to break the rules
  • The power of frequency
  • Why there is always room for an exception
  • Creative distribution of his publications
  • What made Digital Dim Sum a success
  • The importance of networking and relationships
  • Standing up for who you believe in
  • Creating smart controversy
  • The lasting impressions of hosting high-quality events
  • A valuable technique for introducing guests
  • Creating strength when nobody’s opinion matters
  • Demonstrable Growth – what it is and why it works
  • The Tipping Technique
  • The three rules of power that contribute to Jason’s success

JASON’S BIO:

Jason Calacanis is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and podcaster. He is known for being an early investor in companies such as Robinhood and Uber. Overall he has invested in 300 startups, four of which have reached billion-dollar valuations. Jason is also a co-founder of Weblogs, Inc., which was instrumental in the dot-com era of online blogging.

In 2009 Jason founded Open Angel Forum, an event that helps startups find angel investors. Jason’s book Angel: How to Invest in Technology Startups—Timeless Advice from an Angel Investor Who Turned $100,000 into $100,000,000 was published in 2017.

Jason currently resides in San Francisco, California. Dr. Pfeffer has been on Jason’s podcast This Week in Startups four times.

Jason’s blog: https://calacanis.com/

Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/

Produced by the www.MunnAvenuePress.com

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In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, holds a live Question and Answer session with an audience on both Crowdcast and LinkedIn. Podcast producer Scot Maupin does hosting duties as Jeffrey answers questions about power from listeners.

Jeffrey fields questions on power dynamics and leadership, giving tips on how to build sustainable power, how to empower yourself and others, and a discussion on who might be the most powerful person alive today.

Other questions from the audience covered topics such as overcoming bias, executive presence, networking, and navigating power struggles within organizations. Pfeffer also discussed practical steps for rebranding, negotiating exit offers, and the importance of managing up.

We highlight key insights from Jeffrey’s 'Seven Rules of Power,’ along with recommendations for further reading, watching, and real-life success stories from diverse individuals. This episode offers valuable lessons on harnessing power effectively to enhance career growth.

Pfeffer on Power is produced by University FM.

Episode Quotes:

How to empower and be empowered? From: Kelly Zou

06:24: If you wait for organizations to empower you, you'll be waiting a long time. You need really to empower yourself. So, I think one of the things I try to teach the students is to be proactive. I actually thought that one of the contributions of my class was to teach people social science around power. I actually think the biggest contribution of my class, both online and on campus, is to get people to be proactive out of their own way and to cause them to be more ambitious and more proactive than they have been in the past. So, empower yourself. I think that's the way to do it. And to empower others, you need to understand what they bring to the table, and you need to appreciate their contributions to the work that you're trying to do.

If our opponent has such a strong existing brand or power, what do you recommend we do to amass power to overcome the strong opponent quickly? From: Corinna Kasiman

40:22: Sometimes, you're in situations in which you are not going to succeed. And I think the other thing, In addition to people spending insufficient amounts of time building relationships and insufficient amounts of time making sure that people know about their good work, the other thing that people, I think, do make mistakes about is they stay too long in environments in which they have almost no hope of succeeding. And so you need to be pretty clinical about whether this is a situation in which you're going to win. And if the answer is no, you're a talented human being with lots of skills; go find a place where you're going to have more chance of success.

Power is a tool

44:28: Power is a tool, and like any tool, you can use it for good or evil...You can use a knife to do surgery, or stab somebody. You need to master the skills of power. I begin the 7 Rules of Power with a quote, sometimes attributed to me: If power is to be used for good, more good people need power.

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Pfeffer on Power - Power Plays in Business and Politics with Steve Westly
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03/13/24 • 25 min

In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Steve Westly, a venture capitalist and entrepreneur - he was employee number 22 at Ebay, lecturer in Management at Stanford University, and politician. He is also the former State Controller of California and can call some of the most powerful people in the world his friend.

In this episode, Steve unpacks the stark contrasts and surprising similarities of power's role in both the private and public spheres and discusses why today's brightest stars are shying away from public service—a trend he believes is crucial to reverse.

What has Steve learned about power from working closely with notable figures like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barack Obama, and Meg Whitman, and the personal sacrifices they made on their paths to success? From the indispensable value of determination and the wisdom that you only get from defeat to the essence of intelligent communication and ambition, Steve and Jeffrey go over the essential qualities that forge a successful leader—be it in the worlds of tech or politics.

  • 01:51 Public vs Private Sector Power
  • 02:42 Steve's Personal Journey and Motivation
  • 05:51 Lessons from Powerful Figures
  • 11:41 Determination and Ambition
  • 18:55 Insights into Biden's Campaign
  • 22:14 Public and Private Sector Leadership: Differences and Similarities
  • 24:13 Closing Remarks

Pfeffer on Power is produced by University FM.

Episode Quotes:

Are the public and private sector leadership qualities more similar than we think?

22:45: Private sector and public sector require you to be not just a good communicator, but a great communicator. And I think the best leaders in the public and the private sectors are people who are not only great communicators. They have the rarest of all personal traits, and that's the ability to inspire people. Tenacity in both sectors. It is tough. You've got board issues. You've got employee issues, legal issues, labor issues, and politics. You got all the issues. You have to be incredibly tenacious.

What makes a successful politician?

12:19: It's not just persistence and determination; it is insane determination. It is the willingness to sit in a small room hour after hour, calling people, begging for money, and to go out the next day and have people beat the living shit out of you. In the public and with your family, my opponent for the gubernatorial race not only ran hit ads on me but managed to get my wife and two and three-year-old children into the hit pieces. It's not easy. Winston Churchill once said, in war, you can only die once. But in political life, you can die many times over again, and it's true. It's hard. It's tough.

What Steve learned from Meg Whitman of Ebay?

18:07: I think there are three things. I mean, one of them—it's where I was starting—Pierre and Jeff really handed the keys to a rocket ship to her. It was the first thing with a community growing like crazy that was, you know, there's always a little bit of good luck in the long term success. Second, look, Meg's just very smart. She's a Princeton grad. She was an athlete. She has a degree from Harvard, a background at Disney. She was smart. She was experienced. And third, I would say she's just a great communicator. And I think she worked hard at listening. She had a lot of superb traits.

12:19: Leadership has a lot of facets for students out there. I'd urge you to look broadly, and it goes beyond the standard pedigree.

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In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Matt Abrahams, a lecturer at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, podcast host of Think Fast, Talk Smart, and author of both 'Speaking Up Without Freaking Out' and 'Think Faster, Talk Smarter.'

The discussion centers around effective communication strategies to navigate through challenging situations and accelerate career growth. Topics include managing anxiety during public speaking, shifting communication mindset, being present-oriented, the importance of preparation, and leveraging structure in spontaneous speaking situations.

  • 01:06 Introducing the Guest: Matt Abrahams
  • 02:59 Matt’s Career Journey
  • 05:09 Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking
  • 10:37 Tips for Effective Communication
  • 15:18 Spontaneous Speaking and Its Importance
  • 21:47 Conclusion and Farewell

Pfeffer on Power is produced by University FM.

Episode Quotes:

Communication is about connection, not perfection

17:52: Many of us worry about not doing our communication right. We want to be perfect. We want to do it right. And I'm here to tell you, after doing this for decades, there is no right way to communicate. There are better ways and worse ways, but there is no one right way. And by fixating on trying to do it right, we actually get in the way of doing it well at all. It's all a bandwidth issue. Cognitive bandwidth. We only have so much bandwidth, and if part of that bandwidth is dedicated to hyper judgment, hyper-evaluation, we have less effort to put into what we're saying. So it's about connection, not perfection. Communication is about connection, making it relevant. So after we manage anxiety, that's where we have to go.

What are the keys to speaking better?

20:03: If we manage anxiety, we connect rather than worry about being perfect. Make sure that we see things as opportunities, not threats. We listen well, and we use structure. Those are the keys to being better at speaking in the moment.

How do we get over the fear of public speaking?

05:09 [Jeffrey Pfeffer]: What is your advice to help people get over this fear of public speaking?

05:17[Matt Abrahams]: We have some evidence that upwards of 75-85 percent of people report it as a major issue that they have. And quite frankly, I think the rest of the people are lying. I think we could create a situation that would make them nervous too. The goal, I don't think, is to overcome it. I don't think we ever truly can overcome it. Those of us who study this believe it's innate to being human to have this anxiety, but there are certainly things we can do to manage it. When it comes to managing anxiety, you can look at it as a two-pronged approach. First, you have to deal with the symptoms that we experience—the rapid rate, the sweaty brow, the shakiness—but you also have to address the sources of anxiety—the things that initiate and exacerbate it. It's a two-pronged approach.

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Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books:
https://JeffreyPfeffer.com/

SHOW NOTES:

Valerie Shen is Partner and Chief Operating Officer at G2 Venture Partners, overseeing all operational aspects of the firm, which has almost one billion dollars under management. Valerie exemplifies many of the principles within the book 7 Rules of Power and speaks with us about how she began (yes, began) her career as a Chief Operating Officer for a venture capital firm.

In this episode:

  • Valerie’s background before attending business school
  • Her pivotal internship
  • How she landed her job as a Chief Operating Officer
  • Why she accepted the position
  • How she met her mentor by sending a cold email
  • The importance of choosing a focus within the company’s roles
  • The importance of differentiating yourself
  • What a COO does in a venture fund
  • The rules of power used to get such a high-level role so early in her career
  • Taking a position that matches your natural skillsets and what you enjoy
  • Crafting a job that plays to your abilities
  • How she got her job as COO at G2 Venture Partners
  • A provocative take on her experience of being an Asian woman in tech
  • The danger in highlighting differences
  • The issue of cognitive load
  • Advice on having the willingness and ability to self-promote

GUEST BIO w/ social links:

Valerie Shen is Partner and Chief Operating Officer at G2 Venture Partners. She oversees all operational aspects of the firm and fund, including fundraising / LP relations, recruiting / HR, fund administration, impact reporting, legal, compliance, and marketing.

Prior to business school, Valerie was an analyst at Kleiner Perkins’ $1B Green Growth Fund, where she helped the team found G2. Before that, Valerie was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where she worked across four continents, primarily on energy projects. She has also held positions at the U.S. Senate, X (Google’s “moonshot factory”), Goldman Sachs, Jane Street Capital, and The Wilderness Society.

Valerie holds a B.A. degree summa cum laude in Environmental Science & Public Policy and Earth & Planetary Sciences from Harvard University. She holds an M.B.A. and M.S. in Environment and Resources from Stanford University, where she was a Siebel Scholar and an Arjay Miller Scholar.

Website: https://www.g2vp.com/valerie-shen
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-shen/
Produced by The www.MunnAvenuePress.com

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Pfeffer on Power - Power Moves in FinTech with James da Costa
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10/09/24 • 20 min

In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by James da Costa, co-founder of Fingo Africa, and also author of the book Fintech Wars: Tech Titans, Complex Crypto and the Future of Money.

James relays his journey growing up in Sheffield, England, and studying economics. From working at McKinsey, to founding a digital banking startup in Kenya and finally joining Andreessen Horowitz as a partner.

James emphasizes the importance of boldness, continual learning, reaching out to influential figures, and the significance of generosity in networking. His story is an inspiring testament to young professionals and entrepreneurs.

Pfeffer on Power is produced by University FM.

Episode Quotes:

Lessons from FinTech wars

10:31: [Jeffrey Pfeffer] So what did you learn from your research on FinTech wars? And then I'm going to ask you, what did you learn from starting the bank?

10:56:[James da Costa] I think one of the most interesting things that I saw is, number one: very often, I think the very best founders are at their best in crisis. They love it when they're thrown the most difficult challenge. I came back from David [Vélez] from Nubank again. He's at his best when the central bank is about to tell him that he's going to get shut down or that he's running out of money because he's then able to galvanize himself and every single person around him to take on that challenge. Reid Huffman compares it to great startup operators being like doctors or emergency care workers. They're used to being in these high-stress environments. And so it was amazing to see how calm and how articulate many of these people were faced with. They respond with massive action, but they often break up the stimulus to the response.

How James landed a partnership at a prestigious VC firm straight out of business school

05:07: For me, in my career, I've always followed my energy and interests. And so, on the one hand, that's meant that I've had a career that involves supporting corporates build startups in the UK and abroad. It then kind of jumps to building a digital bank myself in East Africa. And now I'm over here in the Bay Area. And so, at first look, you might kind of not see these things. But over time, I built a real knowledge and excitement for a particular industry, which was FinTech and financial services, and had the chance to just meet many, many entrepreneurs in that space and learn a lot about the space. And I think that, combined with actually being an entrepreneur myself and then, at Stanford, spending a lot of time convening other entrepreneurs around Stanford, inviting successful entrepreneurs to come back and talk to people, it meant that I was sort of in the right place at the right time, as they were looking for a new investing partner to join that team.

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Pfeffer on Power - The Price of Power with Dr. Rudy Crew
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01/31/24 • 23 min

In this episode of 'Pfeffer on Power,' host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a Stanford University professor, converses with education expert and influential figure, Dr. Rudy Crew. Dr. Crew is the Clinical Education Professor at USC Rossier School of Education, and has had notable former roles as Chancellor of New York City Schools, superintendent of the Miami-Dade County School District, and Chief Education Officer for the State of Oregon.

After having a long successful career in the education sector in these prestigious roles, Dr. Crew shares insights on navigating the sphere of power, the cost that comes with it, and the wisdom necessary to make careful choices.
The talk explores aspects of power like ego, greed, the lure of linking to powerful individuals, and the personal, professional, and political consequences of the pursuit of power. Dr. Crew emphasizes the importance of staying grounded, maintaining humane leadership, and being observant of warning signs in a volatile political environment.

Significantly, he stresses that ethical leadership rooted in keeping the welfare of students at the forefront has helped him navigate these challenges.

  • 00:01 Introduction and Guest Presentation
  • 01:53 The Price of Power: A Discussion with Dr. Rudy Crew
  • 03:30 The Pitfalls of Power: Ego, Lack of Ideas, and Wrong Associations
  • 05:52 Recognizing Danger Signs in Power Pursuits
  • 08:03 Navigating Political Challenges in Power Positions
  • 10:51 The Consequences of Tough Decisions in Power Positions
  • 17:20 Avoiding the Pitfalls of Power: Advice and Insights
  • 20:57 Staying Grounded in Power Positions: A Personal Anecdote
  • 22:52 Conclusion and Farewell

Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and his work on JeffreyPfeffer.com

Pfeffer on Power is produced by University FM.

Episode Quotes:

Lead by the kind of quality work your provide

18:25: I remember having to make budget cuts, and those budget cuts were going to be pretty deep. But there's goodwill in the culture. If there are other things that you did or have done traditionally that made people feel like this was not a vendetta, unfortunately, this was a bad fiscal year in the state of California, and we had to make budget cuts. But the fact of the matter is, there was humanism brought to the table. There was a sense of honor brought to the table. There was transparency and a sense of humility brought to this that no one enjoyed watching people walk out the door and be without a job. You can create a cultural wave of positivity and yet do some things that are very, very, very unpopular and sometimes very uncomfortable.

There’s no good deed that gets unpunished

17:05: My advice has always been, pay the price. Don't do the wrong thing, but just understand that by doing the right thing, you will still accrue a consequence. There's no good deed that goes unpunished.

Every job comes with a quid pro quo

15:57: When you get the job, be prepared to lose the job. That would be the first of many commandments, right? Be prepared to lose it, and by losing it, I mean, it may be gradual, but the fact of the matter is every decision you make comes with a consequence, and that consequence generally is added up in political terms, and the accumulation of that is what I would say to you is quid pro quo. That is the giant quid pro quo. It's the one that you're going to ultimately pay permanently for.

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Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books: https://JeffreyPfeffer.com/

SHOW NOTES:

Benjamin Fernandes, CEO and founder of Nala, the African payment system, and former student of Jeffrey Pfeffer, discusses how dedication creates opportunities in starting a business. Nala’s valuation is $100 million and their ultimate mission is to increase economic opportunity for Africa globally.

  • How hosting a local TV show at age 17 exposed him to the business of mobile cross-border payments in Africa
  • The door his unique ability to keep people’s attention opened
  • How Nala is working to reduce the cost of sending money globally into and out of Africa
  • What ideas Fernandes found helpful for building his business from Pfeffer’s class at Stanford
  • Advice on fighting imposter syndrome
  • A unique protocol-breaking technique that ultimately gained Nala investors
  • The benefits of being proactive versus reactive
  • The value in having employees take responsibility for their role
  • What being scrappy brought to Nala
  • Why building relationships and networking matter and create leverage
  • Showing up for yourself and the people you work for
  • The education found in talking with founders
  • Three questions to ask a founder

BENJAMIN'S BIO:

Benjamin Fernandes is an award-winning Tanzanian speaker and entrepreneur. Benjamin grew up in Tanzania, then earned scholarships that took him to America for the first time at the age of 17.

At age 21, Benjamin was the youngest African in history to ever be accepted into Stanford Graduate School of Business. He holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and an Exec Ed from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, being the first Tanzanian to attend both institutions.

Fernandes was previously a national television personality in Tanzania. After that, he worked at The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in the United States.

In 2018, Fernandes founded Nala, a fintech startup that is on a mission to increase economic opportunity for Africans globally. NALA recently raised $10m backed by leading US investors such as Y-Combinator, Accel, Amplo and Bessemer Partners.

In 2020, Fernandes was listed as the 15th most influential Tanzanian. In 2022, Fernandes was listed in the inaugural ROW100 most influential technology leaders in the world.

Web and Social Media:
https://www.nala.com/
https://www.instagram.com/benji_fernandes/
https://twitter.com/Benji_Fernandes
https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminf7/
https://www.facebook.com/fernandes.benjamin7

Produced by the MunnAvenuePress.com

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In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Deepti Pahwa, advisor of corporate venture studios, government-led start-up accelerators, and also the author of the book, Trailblazer Founders.

Deepti brings us lessons in power distilled to "three superpowers" of courage, creativity, and determination. Her inspiring journey showcases how you can exploit structural holes in professional networks, craft resources almost out of thin air, and pursue objectives with unwavering intentionality. Jeffrey and Deepti discuss how she doesn't just talk about the importance of personal branding and leadership; she embodies it. Deepti also stresses the importance of building and using your network, sharing how embracing your role as your own Chief Evangelist Officer can open doors and create opportunities, particularly for people historically left at the margins.

Pfeffer on Power is produced by University FM.

00:00 Welcome

01:21 Deepti’s Career Journey

04:18 Leveraging Power and Networks

07:15 From India to Global Influence

10:00 Trailblazer Founders

16:41 Building Economic Opportunities for Diverse Communities

19:37 Closing Thoughts

Episode Quotes:

Deepti’s three principles in taking your own power
18:33: The first three principles that I personally use, which I believe are my superpowers, but I also believe are superpowers for any given person: courage. It's like taking bold actions and making bold asks because what is the worst that would happen? You would hear a no; that's about it, right? So, just take the plunge. The second thing is to build networks and support networks around you who are invested in your success. And there are lots of people, at least in today's world, who are invested in your success. Go out there and find them, and, at the same time, have that insane kind of determination for what you're after because it is the impact that you wish to create. It's not about who is stopping you. Just be like water. Like, if you see a river, it finds its way, right? So everybody's able to kind of find that way if you just have the determination. Build networks and support networks around you who are invested in your success. And there are lots of people, at least in today's world, who are invested in your success. Go out there and find them, and at the same time, have that insane kind of determination for what you're after because it is the impact that you wish to create. It's not about who is stopping you. Just be like water. Like, if you see a river, it finds its way, right? So everybody's able to kind of find that way if you just have the determination towards the impact that you wish to create.

Don’t bet on the horse bet on the jockey
11:27: There's a whole coaching industry out there of products, services, and frameworks that prepare startup founders with so-called business model innovations, product-market fit, failure mindset, and culture training for teams, but no one ever teaches them the importance of leadership skills, building networks, thought leadership, investing in communities, and showing up with confidence and conviction to convey their ideas. And to me, it's more like telling a friend how to play chess on your behalf. I mean, you can make as many plans and business models as you want, but unfortunately, strategies and frameworks do not come in handy on a battlefield. And it's a very different set of skills that you need to succeed as an entrepreneur. And in doing the research that I did in writing this book, I found that venture capitalists, investors, and board members, and dozens of them that I interviewed, do not actually bet on the horse that is your idea, but they actually bet on the jockey that is the founder itself.

On providing opportunities for entrepreneurial idea for people with diverse background

17:46: I have to say that a lot of the times we talk about how we can provide for fair systems from the institutional perspective, and what we can do as institutions to increase that diversity. But my take is that, all that needs to be done and is a responsible thing to do, but until that happens, what we as individuals can do is to take part in the systems; and that is only possible by way of taking our own power and building our own influence .

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