Introducing First On

Today I’m very excited to unveil First On, an interview mini-series dedicated to the operators and functional experts that too often go unsung. Like everyone in the startup world, I am deeply aware of the paramount importance that talent has on the outcome of a business. No single skill correlates more directly with success than the ability to attract, inspire, motivate and mobilize human capital. And yet much of talent excellence remains a dark art.

The growth and promise of the European talent market is at an all time high, but we still suffer from a few big problems:

1. There is a woeful lack of talent for many key roles / functions

2. Many founders and hiring managers don't know what great looks like

3. A lot of junior talent doesn't know what many operator career paths look like

4. Most startup content only focuses on founders and the investors that back them

First On is an attempt to uncover functional greatness by asking the experts themselves. We’ll examine critical startup functions (Engineering, Product, Sales, etc.) through the experience of leaders in some of Europe’s most promising companies. If you’re a current founder, an aspiring entrepreneur or a leader within a fast growing startup, First On is worth checking out. They’re not the fastest reads (average of 4,000 words each) but the caliber of the guests, in my opinion, more than justify the time investment.

I hope you enjoy the mini-series and with enough interest I may extend this into a more ongoing effort. If you have any functions / roles you’d like covered or have ideas for future guests please let me know.