8 episodes
Outcome By Design Paul V Weinstein
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- Business
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5.0 • 6 Ratings
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Outcome By Design is a series about the untold stories of the tech world, where we unwind the hows and whys of acquisitions, partnerships, and investments in Silicon Valley and beyond.
In each episode, you’ll have a coveted front-row seat to conversations that happened in the boardroom, the hallways, and ultimately in the minds of founders, CEOs, and investors who navigated the twists and turns that led to their ultimate outcome.
We’ll uncover hidden motivations, personalities, and the psychology that underpin the economics and technology behind these results- because it is not simply the numbers driving these decisions. It's much more.
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Learning to Be a Rookie: Insights from LoanSnap CEO, Karl Jacob
In this episode of "Outcome by Design," I was joined by Karl Jacob, the CEO of LoanSnap and a serial entrepreneur. Karl has some sound advice for entrepreneurs, serial and first-timers:
Because every startup is a snowflake, Karl advises serial entrepreneurs to be aware of what they know and don’t know based on experience. Bring a "beginner's mind to each new company," regardless of whether this is your first or fifth startup. Embrace your inner rookie, and stay curious!With a quote from the movie “Top Gun, ” Karl also reminds us that control is an illusion. And instead of clinging to a failed idea, recognize it, fail gracefully, roll with the punches, and use your experience to recover from failure faster.And, of the mythical viral growth loop, true virality is when the use of the product is sharing with others – and if it’s viral, you could turn off marketing and still grow. Viral growth loops are indeed “rare birds.”Karl advises entrepreneurs that “you’ll have more ideas,” so don’t be afraid to sell, merge or move on from your startup. Consider the trade-offs carefully, including the burden of further investment vs. selling and the impact on your employees, partners, and investors.Karl’s #1 rule is to reach profitability as fast as possible. You’ll have more options at a higher valuation. -
From Facebook to Philo: Andrew McCollum's Reverse Hero's Journey
In this episode of Outcome by Design, Paul Weinstein interviews Andrew McCollum, CEO of Philo and one of the founders of Facebook. In contrast to the usual hero's journey where the protagonist struggles against seemingly insurmountable odds only to triumph in the end, in Andrew's case, the success came first with the enormous success of Facebook when he was still in college, and the struggle later, in his post-Facebook entrepreneurial life. Andrew reflects on which lessons learned from Facebook held true for Philo and which didn't and the importance of keeping a "beginner's mind." They also speak about the pressure to grow quickly and the expectations that come with early success.
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Acquisitions, Partnerships and Money: with LinkedIn’s Ben Orthlieb
In this episode, Paul dives deep into the world of high-stakes acquisitions with Ben Orthlieb, LinkedIn’s VP of Corporate Development. They discuss the stages of an acquisition, including how M&A targets are identified, the stakeholders involved, and how a buyer gets to a number to put on a term sheet.. Ben also shares insights into the motivations of the key personnel involved in different types of acquisitions and strategies for getting on the radar of big players. If you’re a startup founder, this episode is packed with a ton of valuable information on the nuances of how big companies think and how to use that to your advantage.
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From Economic Ashes to Silicon Valley Gold with Square's Jim McKelvey
In this episode of Outcome By Design, Paul sits down with Jim McKelvey, the Co-Founder and Director of Square, for a fascinating conversation about entrepreneurship and innovation. McKelvey shares his personal journey from the economic crash of 2008 to founding Square and achieving great success in Silicon Valley. Tune in to learn more about:
- how to push through the pain and despair of innovation
- strategies for dealing with competition from giants like Amazon
- overcoming confirmation bias and staying focused on the big picture.
If you’d like to take a deeper dive on the concepts Jim mentions, check out his book, “The Innovation Stack”
Reach out to Paul for any potential guest requests or episode ideas here: info@paulvweinstein.com
Follow Paul - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvweinstein/
To make sure you never miss an episode of Outcome by Design, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to your podcasts!
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Outcome by Design in your favorite podcast player. -
An innovator’s dilemma: Fitting the Vision to the Market
In this episode, Paul sits down with Jim Marrgraff, an edtech visionary. Jim’s impressive background includes having created game changing educational products like the LeapFrog and LeapPad and founding virtual reality startup Eyefluence, which was later acquired by Google. Currently, he is the CEO of Kinoo, an edtech startup that focuses on early literacy.
In this episode, Jim shares his insights and expertise on a variety of topics, including the challenges that founders face when pitching groundbreaking ideas, how to push the boundaries of human perception, and the secrets to building a strong company culture. He also shares his unique inventor's perspective on the journey of a startup from founding to acquisition.
Reach out to Paul for any potential guest requests or episode ideas here: info@paulvweinstein.com
Follow Paul - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvweinstein/
To make sure you never miss an episode of Outcome by Design, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to your podcasts!
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Outcome by Design in your favorite podcast player. -
IPO or Acquisition: Rational Rationale in Turbulent Times with Jeff Epstein
Looking for insights on how to run a business in uncertain times? Join host Paul Weinstein in this episode of the podcast as he sits down with Jeff Epstein, Operating Partner at Bessemer Ventures and former CFO of Oracle.
Together, they discuss the importance of building strategic relationships, tracking key indicators of success, and evaluating the probability of an IPO versus an acquisition. With Jeff's deep experience and level-headed approach, he offers valuable insights that are essential for navigating today's challenging fundraising environment.
Tune in to hear about Jeff's experiences in boom times and bust, and learn how to make the process of evaluating your company's potential using math, not hope so decisions are more rational for everyone involved.
Reach out to Paul for any potential guest requests or episode ideas here: info@paulvweinstein.com
Follow Paul - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvweinstein/
To make sure you never miss an episode of Outcome by Design, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to your podcasts!
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Outcome by Design in your favorite podcast player.
Customer Reviews
Outstanding and informative
As a long time Corporate person, I don’t often get to peek under the hood of the early stage to late stage private company world. Hearing Paul and his guests unpack the decision frameworks, how the usual (and not-so-usual) situations unfold is so helpful.
Seriously recommended for anyone interested in the start up world, as well as good governance, capital allocation and the like.
Thanks, Paul!
Must listen
I’ve known Paul since he acquired my company in 2003. He’s the best at what he does. Put this podcast at the top of your list and buckle in. This is the “meat and potatoes” of how to find success with a startup.
Thought provoking , educational, smart
Paul and his guests describe their experiences and how their decisions drive exit outcomes in a captivating yet low key way. I found each episode thought provoking, learned something new on each episode and look forward to more!