How to Rewrite the Rules of 'Founder Mode' (Frank Slootman, Chairman, Board of Directors, Snowflake)

Frank Slootman turns the 'founder mode vs. manager mode’ debate on its head. 

Frank’s track record in B2B land is iconic: He took Data Domain from pre-revenues to a $2.5B acquisition by EMC. He led the IPO at ServiceNow, and when he left the company, it was worth $34B. Frank then took Snowflake public, and the company was worth over $70B when he retired earlier this year. 

After three successful CEO stints, Frank isn’t buying Silicon Valley’s fairytales about founders. His leadership style combines a manager’s prowess with a founder’s passion. Frank epitomizes what some might call “owner mode!”

(00:07) Frank's thoughts on 'founder mode' vs. 'manager mode' 

(00:47) The role of non-founder managers and CEOs 

(09:59) How to manage effectively without micro-managing 

(17:11) The importance of intellectual honesty (18:32) Frank's thoughts on being 'in the arena' 

(21:04) What it really takes to build a viable business 

(28:34) Contrasting ServiceNow and Snowflake 

(33:40) The impact of AI on business 

(39:01) The future of app ecosystems 

(44:50) Becoming a student of leadership 

(46:31) Managing investor relationships 

(48:04) Why Frank doesn't think about his legacy 

(50:17) Closing Thoughts