Akshay Kothari

So we've actually chosen the path where we're doing fewer things and doing them better.

So we've actually chosen the path where we're doing fewer things and doing them better.

So we've actually chosen the path where we're doing fewer things and doing them better.

Initially we, we, we didn't have our values codified. And so a lot of the initial final round interviews was a little bit around our intuition where we felt like whether this person is going to be actually a good fit for the company. Um, after about, I think when we were 50 people, we actually like did the exercise of codifying the values. And we have four values. We are owners of the mission.

Initially we, we, we didn't have our values codified. And so a lot of the initial final round interviews was a little bit around our intuition where we felt like whether this person is going to be actually a good fit for the company. Um, after about, I think when we were 50 people, we actually like did the exercise of codifying the values. And we have four values. We are owners of the mission.

Initially we, we, we didn't have our values codified. And so a lot of the initial final round interviews was a little bit around our intuition where we felt like whether this person is going to be actually a good fit for the company. Um, after about, I think when we were 50 people, we actually like did the exercise of codifying the values. And we have four values. We are owners of the mission.

We are pace setters. We are truth seekers and we are kind and direct.

We are pace setters. We are truth seekers and we are kind and direct.

We are pace setters. We are truth seekers and we are kind and direct.

To answer your question, we wouldn't take someone who's nasty and direct. But no one would. There's a few nuances to this. If you take that example of kind and direct, the and direct part has an extra signal there. It's not like be nice to each other. We want people to be direct, which means that we are inviting people to be able to debate internally.

To answer your question, we wouldn't take someone who's nasty and direct. But no one would. There's a few nuances to this. If you take that example of kind and direct, the and direct part has an extra signal there. It's not like be nice to each other. We want people to be direct, which means that we are inviting people to be able to debate internally.

To answer your question, we wouldn't take someone who's nasty and direct. But no one would. There's a few nuances to this. If you take that example of kind and direct, the and direct part has an extra signal there. It's not like be nice to each other. We want people to be direct, which means that we are inviting people to be able to debate internally.

Initially, you sort of have to get a feel for the shape of what you're trying to do in this function. And I think, so in many cases, we didn't go to hiring the leader first. A lot of these functions, maybe I started doing the job myself, sort of shaping it to sort of what we wanted to do in Notion.

Initially, you sort of have to get a feel for the shape of what you're trying to do in this function. And I think, so in many cases, we didn't go to hiring the leader first. A lot of these functions, maybe I started doing the job myself, sort of shaping it to sort of what we wanted to do in Notion.

Initially, you sort of have to get a feel for the shape of what you're trying to do in this function. And I think, so in many cases, we didn't go to hiring the leader first. A lot of these functions, maybe I started doing the job myself, sort of shaping it to sort of what we wanted to do in Notion.

A lot of these functions, we also hired the ICs first, like individual contributors who can start to like do the work.

A lot of these functions, we also hired the ICs first, like individual contributors who can start to like do the work.

A lot of these functions, we also hired the ICs first, like individual contributors who can start to like do the work.

I think the people who do well at Notion are builders, and we sort of expect even the execs and leaders to be builders. I think when we hired people who are VPs or CXOs at big tech firms, they have a machinery around how their work happens. And because Notion is so small and so lean, those people had a tough time at Notion because A, like that machinery didn't exist.

I think the people who do well at Notion are builders, and we sort of expect even the execs and leaders to be builders. I think when we hired people who are VPs or CXOs at big tech firms, they have a machinery around how their work happens. And because Notion is so small and so lean, those people had a tough time at Notion because A, like that machinery didn't exist.