Dave Margulius: "Starting a Company Without VC Money is Like Starting a Religion"

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Recorded14 Aug 2025

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In this episode of HR Heretics, Kelli and Nolan sit down with Dave Margulius discussing Quizlet's remarkable 18-year journey from a bootstrapped startup founded with teenage co-founders to a globally successful education platform, sharing insights on building company culture, managing young talent, transitioning from founder to board member, and maintaining mission-driven values while achieving sustainable growth.*Email us your questions or topics for Kelli & Nolan: [email protected] coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/HR Heretics is a podcast from Turpentine.Support HR Heretics Sponsors:Planful empowers teams just like yours to unlock the secrets of successful workforce planning. Use data-driven insights to develop accurate forecasts, close hiring gaps, and adjust talent acquisition plans collaboratively based on costs today and into the future. ✍️ Go to https://planful.com/heretics to see how you can transform your HR strategy.Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can’t live without Metaview.It only takes minutes to get up and running. Check it out!KEEP UP WITH DAVE, NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINDave: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davemarguliusNolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/—Quizlet: https://quizlet.com/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(02:00) The $5 Trillion Education Opportunity(04:06) Meeting Andrew - The 17-Year-Old Co-Founder(06:04) CEO Transitions and Early Career(09:11) Sponsors: Planful | Metaview(12:10) Building a Teenage Team(16:03) Managing Young Talent and Pure Adrenaline(19:17) The Shift to VC Funding(22:15) Company Culture and Values(26:19) Mission vs ROI Balance(29:05) 18-Year Journey and Staying Competitive(32:01) Employee Value Proposition and Liquidity(35:00) Competition and Market Position(36:06) Closing Thoughts(37:27) Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

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