Max Levchin

the argument of i've never met my team but i'm as productive in person i only see them on zoom is a stupid argument that's just not true like you form relationships you understand each other's decision-making style you break bread together you form camaraderie that has to happen like that that is entirely not optional and i think everyone who's saying i can be fully remote and these people don't ever have to meet in person is getting themselves

the argument of i've never met my team but i'm as productive in person i only see them on zoom is a stupid argument that's just not true like you form relationships you understand each other's decision-making style you break bread together you form camaraderie that has to happen like that that is entirely not optional and i think everyone who's saying i can be fully remote and these people don't ever have to meet in person is getting themselves

the argument of i've never met my team but i'm as productive in person i only see them on zoom is a stupid argument that's just not true like you form relationships you understand each other's decision-making style you break bread together you form camaraderie that has to happen like that that is entirely not optional and i think everyone who's saying i can be fully remote and these people don't ever have to meet in person is getting themselves

We had to do a layoff two years ago. That was morale lowest point for me and I think everyone around me. And those are never easy. And I've had to do more than one in my life. And every time it doesn't get any easier, it's always brutal. And no matter how- Did you learn anything about messaging from the first time taken to the second time?

We had to do a layoff two years ago. That was morale lowest point for me and I think everyone around me. And those are never easy. And I've had to do more than one in my life. And every time it doesn't get any easier, it's always brutal. And no matter how- Did you learn anything about messaging from the first time taken to the second time?

We had to do a layoff two years ago. That was morale lowest point for me and I think everyone around me. And those are never easy. And I've had to do more than one in my life. And every time it doesn't get any easier, it's always brutal. And no matter how- Did you learn anything about messaging from the first time taken to the second time?

very first time i had to do it was certainly not a firm which and every time i have done it i said i have i hope to never do it again but the very first time i did it i didn't know what i was doing and i was terrified of owning the responsibility that i screwed up i i was the ceo every single time i had to do a layoff and uh the first time you feel like everyone's gonna blame me it's my fault

very first time i had to do it was certainly not a firm which and every time i have done it i said i have i hope to never do it again but the very first time i did it i didn't know what i was doing and i was terrified of owning the responsibility that i screwed up i i was the ceo every single time i had to do a layoff and uh the first time you feel like everyone's gonna blame me it's my fault

very first time i had to do it was certainly not a firm which and every time i have done it i said i have i hope to never do it again but the very first time i did it i didn't know what i was doing and i was terrified of owning the responsibility that i screwed up i i was the ceo every single time i had to do a layoff and uh the first time you feel like everyone's gonna blame me it's my fault

I just want to run and hide. This is terrible. I have to go through with this, but I can't wait for the moment to be over, for the day to be over. I just need to not be here. Actually, a good friend of mine who was at the time an exec at that company took me aside and said, hey, this sucks for all of us. You are the leader. Like you have to be out there helping people pack their boxes.

I just want to run and hide. This is terrible. I have to go through with this, but I can't wait for the moment to be over, for the day to be over. I just need to not be here. Actually, a good friend of mine who was at the time an exec at that company took me aside and said, hey, this sucks for all of us. You are the leader. Like you have to be out there helping people pack their boxes.

I just want to run and hide. This is terrible. I have to go through with this, but I can't wait for the moment to be over, for the day to be over. I just need to not be here. Actually, a good friend of mine who was at the time an exec at that company took me aside and said, hey, this sucks for all of us. You are the leader. Like you have to be out there helping people pack their boxes.

Like you have to be part of the goodbye. This is not a death sentence. It's a professional event. It sucks no less than any other really major trauma. But you can play this from the comfort of your office or in the middle of the floor that's crying and like go be with the people. It'll feel better in the end and they will feel better in the end. And so that's what I did.

Like you have to be part of the goodbye. This is not a death sentence. It's a professional event. It sucks no less than any other really major trauma. But you can play this from the comfort of your office or in the middle of the floor that's crying and like go be with the people. It'll feel better in the end and they will feel better in the end. And so that's what I did.

Like you have to be part of the goodbye. This is not a death sentence. It's a professional event. It sucks no less than any other really major trauma. But you can play this from the comfort of your office or in the middle of the floor that's crying and like go be with the people. It'll feel better in the end and they will feel better in the end. And so that's what I did.

It was sort of between cathartic and therapeutic. And that was that was a really important lesson to learn. You cannot hide from the grief that a layoff is. And then the other thing that I learned over the years of watching my friends have, you know, having to do it and certainly having to do it a couple of times myself. Empathy is really important.

It was sort of between cathartic and therapeutic. And that was that was a really important lesson to learn. You cannot hide from the grief that a layoff is. And then the other thing that I learned over the years of watching my friends have, you know, having to do it and certainly having to do it a couple of times myself. Empathy is really important.

It was sort of between cathartic and therapeutic. And that was that was a really important lesson to learn. You cannot hide from the grief that a layoff is. And then the other thing that I learned over the years of watching my friends have, you know, having to do it and certainly having to do it a couple of times myself. Empathy is really important.

The other things that you will find is people actually, if you've built a great culture, this isn't the thing you can fix in the moment, but if the culture of the company is great, the blow is much softer than you think it'll be because people understand that you tried with every possible strategic or tactical idea to not have to go through this. And so this is the decision.

The other things that you will find is people actually, if you've built a great culture, this isn't the thing you can fix in the moment, but if the culture of the company is great, the blow is much softer than you think it'll be because people understand that you tried with every possible strategic or tactical idea to not have to go through this. And so this is the decision.