Lacy Garcia

I mean, I think it's one of the hardest things when you're successfully developing kind of running a company and making the best decisions for the business, they don't always necessarily feel like the best decisions sometimes for the people or the culture in the short term. And that's a challenge, especially when you are running a mission-driven company, right?

I mean, I think it's one of the hardest things when you're successfully developing kind of running a company and making the best decisions for the business, they don't always necessarily feel like the best decisions sometimes for the people or the culture in the short term. And that's a challenge, especially when you are running a mission-driven company, right?

Where you really do care authentically about everyone on your team.

Where you really do care authentically about everyone on your team.

And it's really hard, right? Because in a startup or a fast-growing company, you are taking small data points and you're making decisions really, really quickly. And you're often, it's a combination of, you certainly have my co-founders

And it's really hard, right? Because in a startup or a fast-growing company, you are taking small data points and you're making decisions really, really quickly. And you're often, it's a combination of, you certainly have my co-founders

trusted advisors i love to hire people who i think could replace me and do a better job than me like i like hire the smartest most talented people like let them rip and listen to them you know that's how you get to that next level is empowering these people to come and tell you share their opinion share their feedback share their solutions but you're then at the end of the day you're making the decision you have more information than anybody else does have but then you also

trusted advisors i love to hire people who i think could replace me and do a better job than me like i like hire the smartest most talented people like let them rip and listen to them you know that's how you get to that next level is empowering these people to come and tell you share their opinion share their feedback share their solutions but you're then at the end of the day you're making the decision you have more information than anybody else does have but then you also

Exactly as you said, you're making decisions in absence of the like backed up in a corporate way, the proof. I made this decision for these reasons, but it's not because of like, because we had that great two or three years, now we're deciding to do this. It's like, well, because we saw like positive indications and we are going this way. So it does.

Exactly as you said, you're making decisions in absence of the like backed up in a corporate way, the proof. I made this decision for these reasons, but it's not because of like, because we had that great two or three years, now we're deciding to do this. It's like, well, because we saw like positive indications and we are going this way. So it does.

You have to make decisions in absence of like a full data set. And you're relying on your instincts and you're relying on your gut and you're relying on trying to as much as possible take in 360. But quite frankly, at the end of the day, you are just, okay, gotta make a decision. I take a minute and I know sometimes I'm like, okay, I'm like my head and I just sit back, take a breath.

You have to make decisions in absence of like a full data set. And you're relying on your instincts and you're relying on your gut and you're relying on trying to as much as possible take in 360. But quite frankly, at the end of the day, you are just, okay, gotta make a decision. I take a minute and I know sometimes I'm like, okay, I'm like my head and I just sit back, take a breath.

Sometimes if you can sleep on it, I always say sleep on it if you can sleep on it. But a lot of times you can't sleep on it. But when you can sleep on it, sleep on it. I'm an early morning person. I'm like, I feel like I fall apart at night. And then I'm like, my best is like first thing in the morning. Everything crystallizes. So whatever it is, maybe you're a real night owl.

Sometimes if you can sleep on it, I always say sleep on it if you can sleep on it. But a lot of times you can't sleep on it. But when you can sleep on it, sleep on it. I'm an early morning person. I'm like, I feel like I fall apart at night. And then I'm like, my best is like first thing in the morning. Everything crystallizes. So whatever it is, maybe you're a real night owl.

But no, you've got to make those decisions. But I try to clear that space, like take a minute and just... analyze the data, but then also go with your gut and then realize that you've got to own it no matter what. And you've got to own it. And the thing is too, it's like, it could be wrong.

But no, you've got to make those decisions. But I try to clear that space, like take a minute and just... analyze the data, but then also go with your gut and then realize that you've got to own it no matter what. And you've got to own it. And the thing is too, it's like, it could be wrong.

And it's a week, a month, six months later, you're standing in front of your board and you're saying, course, correct. Yes. And you got to own it. But you know, when you're making that decision, you're going to own the consequences of it.

And it's a week, a month, six months later, you're standing in front of your board and you're saying, course, correct. Yes. And you got to own it. But you know, when you're making that decision, you're going to own the consequences of it.

We are very fortunate to have a couple of institutional investors. Certainly BlackRock is our lead investor and grateful for the amazing team that we've worked with at BlackRock. And I know what caused them to say yes is we actually started working with them. We had a three-year relationship with them or close to three-year relationship with them in firsthand data with their team prior to them.

We are very fortunate to have a couple of institutional investors. Certainly BlackRock is our lead investor and grateful for the amazing team that we've worked with at BlackRock. And I know what caused them to say yes is we actually started working with them. We had a three-year relationship with them or close to three-year relationship with them in firsthand data with their team prior to them.