Thread by @ryan_caldbeck

1/ There are products/resources that I wish I had found much earlier in my journey as a CEO/founder. Here are some of the most valuable.

[Like always I’m not an investor/advisor in any unless noted.]

2/ @lever – lifeblood of your co starts w/ recruiting. Lever makes that 10x easier. I love the product & love how it can help prevent groupthink. Btw imagine the value of their data.
lever.co

3/ @smallimprove – (360 feedback) makes giving and receiving feedback easier, more constructive and more efficent. We encourage our team to share the constructive feedback they get back to the people that gave the feedback (alignment on what was heard).
small-improvements.com

4/ Pulse surveys- Anonymous surveys to check health throughout levels, teams, tenures etc. We go through the results unedited with the entire company quarterly. Shows trust and transparency, starts dialogue about how we should improve culturally. We use Google Surveys.

5/ @Coursera- We pair learnings goals that come out of semi-annual reviews, with specific classes. We also see positive correlation between team members willing to take classes and their growth at the co. [Disclosure my wife works there.]
coursera.org

6/ Management coaching- we use different coaches throughout org, but broad point is to find one that works for you and then those on team. Like the airplane safety recommendation to put mask on yourself before helping others- make sure you get yourself a coach. (I love mine)

7/ CEO email list- I’ve written about this before, but an engaged group of 10-100 CEOs can be amazingly helpful on topics big and small. Best one I belong to is @usv's – and it is amazing.

8/ Peer group- this can be created organically, through your investors, or by joining groups like @YPO. Main point is having peers you can talk to, in person, for extended periods. 90% of the value is just having shoulders to lean on and realize you’re not alone in the struggle.

9/ @Docsend- Some VCs have voiced frustration about Docsend. It absolutely creates 3 minutes more friction for VC. Sorry Chief. Helps CEO protect their co. and see engagement. For the CEO it helps them feel safer and track who is actually engaged. docsend.com

10/ @Docusign: Get your company on docusign minute one. It has become a lot more common today than when CircleUp started but would still encourage each CEO to get on this train at the start.
docusign.com

11/ Verizon WiFi card: I’ve found that no matter your cell provider, using your phone as a mobile hotspot isn’t as effective as just bucking up and getting a WiFi card. I have the JetPack and absolutely love it- makes travel dramatically more productive. Kind of lame but useful.

12/ Transcendental Meditation – I think there are lots of ways to learn TM. I just wish I had tried from the beginning. It helps focus the mind. Slows things down and makes it easier to act. In his book Principles @RayDalio talks about it a lot -also here:
cnbc.com/2018/03/16/bri…

13/ @Medium- I think CEOs have 3 main jobs. a) set and communicate vision effectively, b) attract and retain talent, c) don’t run out of money. Turns out if you’re not good at a, b-c are a lot harder. Get your vision for the future out there.
medium.com/@ryancaldbeck/…

14/ @Expensify- Expenses are one of those topics that are boring and unsexy, and can waste a ton of resources if inefficient. Do zero thinking on this decision- use Expensify.
expensify.com

15/ Podcasts: @a16z, @HarryStebbings #20MinuteVC, etc. Find ways to grow every day. Podcasts can be listened to while walking/driving etc. @audible_com similar concept.

16/ Chief of Staff- This role is an amazing leverage pt for the CEO (and org). Emma has been a Godsend for us. The CoS helps to distill information, amplify the voice of the CEO, & much more. Not practical <20 people but wish we had created role earlier.
circleup.com/blog/2018/05/0…

forbes.com/sites/susanada…