What does it take to build a successful startup from scratch? In this episode, Groundswell CPO Tammy Hahn meets with Ubiety Technologies CPO Nacho Andrade to discuss her experience working in the startup industry. She offers valuable insights into building a successful company from scratch. Tammy discusses the importance of being strategic when starting with zero customers, adapting to change, and being less of a perfectionist.
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Show Notes
- Tammy Hahn is the Chief Product Officer at Groundswell, a startup company.
- Tammy previously worked at Cornerstone OnDemand.
- Starting a new company with zero customers requires a strategic approach.
- Adapting to change and being less of a perfectionist are essential traits for success in a startup.
- Both experience and a fresh perspective can be advantageous in a startup.
- Building a culture based on data-driven decision-making is important for startups.
- Normalizing failure and being honest about it is crucial for building a successful startup.
- There are differences between working at a large organization versus a startup.
- It is important to carefully evaluate a company before joining it and to look out for red flags.
- Hiring generalists who align with the company’s mission can be beneficial for a startup.
- Preparing for a mission-driven startup involves doing something interesting in an interesting space.
- Fintech and philanthropy are two examples of interesting spaces to work in.
- Non-profit companies are just as profit-driven as for-profit businesses.
- A successful startup requires a team that is adaptable and can face unpredictable events.
- Risk-taking is essential for innovation to occur.
- Interviewing for a mission-driven startup requires preparation and alignment with the company’s values.
About the speaker
Mother. Wife. Product leader. Technologist. First generation Chinese American. Vision-led, experimentation-driven Product leader & strategist, passionate about building delightful products that solve real-world problems for customers and users. Tammy is currently Chief Product Officer at Groundswell, a start-up sitting at the intersection of Fintech and Philanthropy aiming to revolutionize the way individuals and corporations approach social impact to solve for the most pressing issues of our time. She previously led Product for Cornerstone OnDemand, a leading human capital and talent management SaaS provider, taking the company from $40M ARR through IPO to over $850M ARR and building a Product organization from a team of six to over 100 globally.
About the host
Nacho is an Evangelist for all things product, advocating for innovation, diversity, and building amazing products. Nacho has spent over 10 years in product roles ranging from startups to enterprise in industries like education, healthcare, finance and gaming.