Chris Savage

On the money side, you basically figure out that in the early days, we're making decisions. Sometimes decisions scare you. You're like, oh man, this really needs to work. And so you feel this commitment to the decision and the product or whatever it is you're doing. Turns out you still want that feeling. You crave that feeling. I think that's really important. Yeah, the business gets bigger.

On the money side, you basically figure out that in the early days, we're making decisions. Sometimes decisions scare you. You're like, oh man, this really needs to work. And so you feel this commitment to the decision and the product or whatever it is you're doing. Turns out you still want that feeling. You crave that feeling. I think that's really important. Yeah, the business gets bigger.

So those types of decisions are bigger. And the risks you're taking might feel somewhat similar to the early days. Not the same. It's not life or death. the way it is early days often, but it is often the difference between growth or not. And so you start to search for that feeling, get comfortable with that feeling.

So those types of decisions are bigger. And the risks you're taking might feel somewhat similar to the early days. Not the same. It's not life or death. the way it is early days often, but it is often the difference between growth or not. And so you start to search for that feeling, get comfortable with that feeling.

I think the other thing is when you're in it, it's very hard to know if you're doing the right stuff. But if you do it long enough, you end up training your intuition. Brendan and I like to say we had instincts. that turn to conviction through failure. So we'd have an instinct on the ways we make decisions on things we put in the product, on how we decide to launch products, on almost anything.

I think the other thing is when you're in it, it's very hard to know if you're doing the right stuff. But if you do it long enough, you end up training your intuition. Brendan and I like to say we had instincts. that turn to conviction through failure. So we'd have an instinct on the ways we make decisions on things we put in the product, on how we decide to launch products, on almost anything.

And then when we'd go against our instinct and it wouldn't work, go, ah... Even though it was the first time I was doing it, my instinct was actually right. So now it's moved from instinct to like, I have conviction, like this is the way.

And then when we'd go against our instinct and it wouldn't work, go, ah... Even though it was the first time I was doing it, my instinct was actually right. So now it's moved from instinct to like, I have conviction, like this is the way.

And I think that there's going to be a lot of things like that in your business where you need to hold the line on a hard decision where you don't have data or results for a long time. Often the most valuable things, they don't happen quickly. They take a long time. And so having conviction to stick with your approach is really, really, really important in those cases.

And I think that there's going to be a lot of things like that in your business where you need to hold the line on a hard decision where you don't have data or results for a long time. Often the most valuable things, they don't happen quickly. They take a long time. And so having conviction to stick with your approach is really, really, really important in those cases.

And in the early days, it's trial by fire. And so often you have to do that. When you get bigger, you often don't have to. You have more options. And that actually creates more choice. And that can be a problem because you can lose focus or not take things as far as you should.

And in the early days, it's trial by fire. And so often you have to do that. When you get bigger, you often don't have to. You have more options. And that actually creates more choice. And that can be a problem because you can lose focus or not take things as far as you should.

Hiring is classic mistake zone for this.

Hiring is classic mistake zone for this.

Yeah, the way that we do this now is we're trying to be really clear about our strategy, our mission and vision, where we're going, who our target customer is. And then we have a big list of assumptions that we're constantly testing. And we're making plans based on the assumptions. And as we make investments, we say, are these assumptions working or not?

Yeah, the way that we do this now is we're trying to be really clear about our strategy, our mission and vision, where we're going, who our target customer is. And then we have a big list of assumptions that we're constantly testing. And we're making plans based on the assumptions. And as we make investments, we say, are these assumptions working or not?

And there's a constant learning element in the business. And then what we do is I found actually what you want is the right structure. So you want to give people the right structure and ownership so that they can actually work creatively to solve the problems that they're working on. And so for us today, what that looks like is we have OKRs. We have like a three-year goal.

And there's a constant learning element in the business. And then what we do is I found actually what you want is the right structure. So you want to give people the right structure and ownership so that they can actually work creatively to solve the problems that they're working on. And so for us today, what that looks like is we have OKRs. We have like a three-year goal.

And then we have OKRs for the year that ladder into that three-year goal. And they basically are all customer problems. And so we don't presume to know the solution in most cases. Every once in a while, we'll know it. But usually we say we don't know what the solution is. We just know it's a really important problem to solve. And so then what you want is a team that can stay on that problem.

And then we have OKRs for the year that ladder into that three-year goal. And they basically are all customer problems. And so we don't presume to know the solution in most cases. Every once in a while, we'll know it. But usually we say we don't know what the solution is. We just know it's a really important problem to solve. And so then what you want is a team that can stay on that problem.