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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Kanny is a startup that uses character assessments to improve the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/multiple-job-interviews-a-pain-but-also-benefit-workers-2024-8">hiring processes</a> for employers.</li><li>Character is more crucial than skills, but it's often hard to evaluate, Kanny's CEO told BI.</li></ul>One area of my <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/finding-job-awful-right-now-drop-in-openings-tough-search-2024-9">work</a> where I appear to be better than others is remaining humble.That's according to a survey of some colleagues who rated me on six traits.My coworkers — geniuses, all — made the evaluation using a tool from the startup <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.kanny.com/">Kanny</a>, which aims to improve hiring by assessing what it calls a job candidate's work character."The most important thing when hiring is not hard or soft skills or even expertise. It is character," Kanny CEO and cofounder Sean Vassilaros told me. "It's also the most important or most difficult thing to ascertain."He said Kanny is trying to return some power to the employer — though that may seem counterintuitive to many job seekers, for whom it can feel like bosses hold all of the proverbial cards. Bosses can <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-hard-to-find-job-us-though-unemployment-low-2024-2">ghost candidates</a> — or sometimes list <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fake-job-listings-rampant-labor-market-employment-hiring-process-difficult-2024-5">fake jobs</a> — and they can put people through round after <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/people-looking-for-jobs-enduring-many-rounds-of-interviews-2024-7">round of interviews</a>.Yet the control that job seekers have, Vassilaros said, is in shaping the narrative of who they are."How many times have you heard the story of, 'Hey, I hired this person. They knocked my socks off in the interview,'" he said. And then "'they turned out to be an absolute disaster.'"Vassilaros said that because workers control their résumé, references, social media presence, and LinkedIn profile, it can be difficult for would-be employers to suss out a sus applicant."The entire hiring process is curated by the candidate," he said. "It's all packaged up in this sales job to hand to you."It's of course reasonable that job seekers would seek to present themselves in the best light, Vassilaros said. The trouble is that when that happens, it often leaves those conducting an interview without a way to get "really good, keen insights.""I, for sure, can't ask your references," he said. "These are your champions, as they should be."<h2 id="d3ff94a0-902b-4c70-a34c-0b99b67ffc75">The reviews are in</h2>I signed up for Kanny, albeit with some trepidation, using my LinkedIn login. That's how Kanny knew who I was and found coworkers. They could have been former colleagues or people I work with now. Someone requesting a review can also limit the ask to former coworkers.Within a day or two of completing my sign-up, I received a few texts and emails from people, leery of a scam, asking whether I actually wanted their feedback on my character. I assured them it was legit and that I would Venmo them in exchange for a favorable review (kidding).Vassilaros said worries about whether the request is valid is one reason the company encourages people to let current and former colleagues know the request is legitimate. Kanny offers templates for email, text, and LinkedIn messages. Users must opt in to see whether and how others have reviewed them.Reviewers rate someone on six criteria: integrity, accountability, respect, humility (ahem), confidence, and grit.A former boss told me it only took a minute or so to complete. That's partly because reviewers move a slider to the left or right. There isn't a field for a reviewer to enter open text.That's by design, Vassilaros said. The idea is to have everyone marked on the same scale. It's a way of making subjective data more objective, he said, and less reliant on sentiment."They can't be like, 'This guy stole my lunch,'" he said. "We don't want that information."The algorithm considers what Vassilaros calls "work relationship" information, including how closely, how long — and how long ago — you worked with someone. Scoring is also set so that if certain reviewers are too negative or too positive, their impact is blunted."This is not meant to tank or to hurt anyone. This is meant, literally, to reward but also give you information on how to develop and get better," he said.Reviewers are anonymous — and responses are only shown in aggregate though it takes at least five reviews before Kanny will generate a report.I only heard from a handful of people, and I'm not sure how many colleagues actually evaluated my character traits. Given my above-average score in some areas, I'd imagine it was only a handful of true believers.Once I logged in to Kanny's website, I could see my ratings on a dashboard and how I compared with other Kanny users —hence my not-so-humble-bragging about my humility. And if I'm honest, my results in that category were only a tiny bit above the average.It was fun to see my scores from mystery colleagues. Yet more important, it struck me that anytime you can offer employers better insights into how a job seekers' colleagues regard them, it could be a notable step toward making the hiring process feel more humane.Users like me can ask others to review them; by the end of the year, Vassilaros said, Kanny plans to open up the tool to corporate customers. That way, an employer could request that an applicant go through the Kanny process and get ratings.He said he plans to integrate Kanny into the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-your-resume-gets-rejected-job-search-bots-people-ats-2024-5">applicant-tracking systems</a> most large employers use to help manage their hiring process.Vassilaros said a recruiter needing to sort through 1,000 applicants for a role might instantly whittle it down to 20 by ranking according to these character snapshots.From there, a recruiter could dig into a person's report to learn about an applicant's strengths and weaknesses.Yet, Vassilaros said, a low score in a particular category might not be a dealbreaker.He offered the example of a software developer who got high marks for accountability and integrity but came in lower on respect. That suggests he might not work well with others, Vassilaros said. "That may be acceptable for that role," he said.<h2 id="8e895964-3bc8-4993-8695-9a4e94228f26">Looking at character in other ways</h2>Kyle Samuels, founder and CEO of the executive search firm Creative Talent Endeavors, told me that understanding an organization's character is crucial when hiring. A company like REI or Patagonia, he said, might focus on helping employees shine, whereas an investment bank might value a more competitive, self-driven worker.Samuels said that an applicant's character can be revealed throughout the hiring process. What is a person's demeanor? Does the candidate show up on time? Is the job seeker rude to his assistant?"Those are things sometimes that have stopped me from even having an interview with a candidate," he said.Samuels has also seen job seekers pass along proprietary information from their current employer to try to impress a prospective boss. That can be a red flag, Samuels said."There are certain companies who will clutch their pearls at that. And there are other companies saying, 'So, you're bringing over your client list, right?'" he said.In some industries, killing it at work might allow individuals with less favorable character traits to thrive, he said. You might be a jerk, Samuels said, but if you brought in $4 million in sales this quarter, an employer might be willing to overlook gaps in character.Samuels said a tool that gets at a candidate's character might be most helpful for lower-level roles, where the interview process is often less extensive than for a senior position.<h2 id="e35ebf96-a7dc-4a90-a51d-86d4132b41d0">Defining character can be messy</h2>Rebecca Arnold, founder of Root Coaching &amp; Consulting, told me that she's not sure that character assessments based on someone's LinkedIn connections would eliminate the type of bias that is often part of a job seeker's references."You probably don't have thousands of enemies in your LinkedIn network," she quipped.Arnold also said that broad terms like respect and integrity can be open to interpretation.Getting it right is important but often difficult for employers, she said."They often only find whether someone is really strong in these characteristics or weak after they've been hired," Arnold said, adding that bringing in people who fall short around character can hurt an organization's culture.Vassilaros, from Kanny, said that the company has technology that can find people you've worked with who might not be connections on LinkedIn. He also said the company tries to define the attributes reviewers use so that the terms are specific to work.Vassilaros added that his experience running other companies made it clear to him how hard it is to determine a candidate's character before making a hire."I was probably batting about a 60% success rate," he said.Vassilaros said his goal is to make character in the workplace a bigger focus."That should drive the conversation," he said.Do you have something to share about what you're seeing in the workplace or in your job search? Business Insider would like to hear from you. Email our workplace team from a nonwork device at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:thegrind@businessinsider.com">thegrind@businessinsider.com</a> with your story, or ask for one of our reporter's Signal numbers.

I tried a tool that lets your coworkers rate your character. The startup behind it wants employers to use it for hiring. 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sam Altman says he prioritizes talent over age in his hiring decisions.</li><li>He said having a mix of inexperienced and experienced workers is important for tech companies.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/timeline-sam-altman-openai-shock-firing-microsoft-switch-2023-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">OpenAI CEO Sam Altman</a> says his hiring strategy is focused on talent over age.On <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6mvT6nqdjXEGQ83dRrWIKp">an episode</a> of Harry Stebbings's "The Twenty Minute VC (20VC)" podcast, the OpenAI CEO said that companies are best served by hiring a mix of younger, inexperienced people and more experienced people over 30."Inexperienced does not inherently mean not valuable," he said during the podcast episode published on November 4. Altman added it was worth taking a chance on young, high-potential people at the start of their careers as they could end up delivering high value.At the same time, Altman said he wouldn't be comfortable relying on an inexperienced employee who was just starting out for higher-stakes work, such as designing complex and expensive systems."You want both, and I think what you really want is just like an extremely high talent bar of people at any age, " Altman said. "A strategy that says 'I'm only going to hire younger people,' or 'I'm only going to hire older people,' I believe, would be misguided."The job market in Big Tech has become an increasingly polarized space with companies fighting over<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-talent-wars-big-tech-ceos-recruiting-paying-huge-packages-2024-4"> C-suite-level AI talent</a>, while mid-level and junior employees are facing a more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennial-cant-find-job-tech-blames-racial-discrimination-ai-2024-9">bleak hiring outlook</a>. Big Tech has been engaged in a talent war for top AI researchers amid an industry-wide AI arms race. In one recent example, Google struck a $2.7 billion deal with AI startup <a target="_blank" href="http://Character.ai">Character.ai</a><a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/character-ai-in-talks-to-raise-google-2024-2">.,</a> reportedly largely to rehire former Googler Noam Shazeer.In a similar move, Microsoft previously paid Inflection $650 million for a licensing deal and to <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflection-ai-new-game-plan-mustafa-suleyman-joined-microsoft-2024-5">poach its founders Mustafa Suleyman and Karen Simonyan.</a>However, the battle for high-level talent may not be translating down to more junior employees. The job market appears to have tightened for more junior roles, with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-graduate-job-market-ai-layoffs-2024-10">recent graduates recently</a> telling BI that they are facing a tough job market. They blame the rise of AI, offshoring, and tech layoffs for making roles more competitive.In a recent survey of 750 workers struggling to find work in the US, BI found over a dozen recent college graduates said they can't find a tech role, despite relevant internships and bachelor's degrees from top schools.While Altman may prioritize talent over age at OpenAI, some older tech employees say they are <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-ageism-tech-jobs-gen-z-boomers-2024-9">experiencing ageism</a> in the workforce. They told BI they are <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-ageism-tech-jobs-gen-z-boomers-2024-9#:~:text=John%20Zeman%2C%20a,beyond%20%22mere%20speculation.%22">more at risk of layoffs</a> or have already aged <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/shocked-when-recruiter-said-too-old-tech-job-ageism-2024-3">out of tech roles.</a>Gen Zers have also <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mistake-to-undervalue-gen-zers-in-the-workplace-experts-say-2024-10">previously told BI</a> they experience negative stereotyping in the workplace because they're perceived as "lazy." One 25-year-old worker said they felt they were denied promotions because of their age.

Sam Altman's hiring strategy bets on talent, not age

<ul class="summary-list"><li>OpenAI has added two new executives to its leadership team.</li><li>The company hired a chief compliance officer and chief economist.</li></ul>OpenAI has <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://openai.com/global-affairs/openai-chief-compliance-officer-announcement/">hired</a> two executives to start filling out its C-Suite following an exodus of top talent in recent months, the company <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://openai.com/global-affairs/openai-chief-economist-announcement/">announced</a> Tuesday.Former Uber executive <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-hired-first-compliance-ethics-officer-2018-7">Scott Schools</a> will serve as OpenAI's first chief compliance officer in a hiring move that signals the company's awareness of increased regulatory scrutiny over AI.Schools previously served as chief ethics and compliance officer at the ride-hailing company, which had its own spate of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-drivers-declared-employees-by-california-regulators-2020-6">regulatory conflicts</a> with lawmakers. Before that, he was associate deputy attorney general at the Department of Justice.The move comes as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-regulations-what-lawmakers-president-are-doing-2024-4">lawmakers</a> increasingly consider <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-assembly-passes-ai-safety-bill-artificial-intelligence-big-tech-2024-8">regulatory legislation</a> as AI models become more ubiquitous and accessible.OpenAI also hired <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-important-business-case-studies-2012-10">Aaron Chatterji</a>, a former Biden administration official and business professor, as its chief economist. Chatterji will spearhead research into <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-job-market-replacing-workers-competition-job-losses-artificial-intelligence-2024-7">AI's impact on the economy</a> and job creation, the company said."Our hope is that this work will inform efforts by policymakers, academics, and organizations around the world to maximize the benefits of AI as an economic driver in their communities, while helping them identify and prepare for challenges that come with the adoption of this powerful new technology," the company said in a statement.The mini-hiring spree comes nearly a year after OpenAI CEO <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-chatgpt-openai-ceo-career-net-worth-ycombinator-prepper-2023-1">Sam Altman</a> was briefly ousted. Since then, the company has seen a wave of top talent leave, most recently <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mira-murati-openai-cto-leaving-executive-memo-staff-2024-9">Mira Murati</a>, former chief technology officer and one-time interim CEO.That position remains unfilled, though Altman announced earlier this month that he plans to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-openai-c-suite-ceo-leadership-changes-2024-10">take on more responsibility</a> as the company heads toward a possible for-profit future.Altman recently secured a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-investors-latest-funding-round-2024-10">whopping $157 billion valuation</a> for the startup following a $6.6 billion funding round.

OpenAI hires 2 executives in new leadership positions     

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Elon Musk's AI startup xAI is hiring AI Tutors for data annotation to train language algorithms.</li><li>xAI partners closely with X, formerly known as Twitter, which sees user decline and ad pullbacks.</li></ul>Elon Musk's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-fills-out-xai-former-tesla-staffers-after-layoffs-2024-6">new AI company</a> is on a hiring spree for a new type of data annotator.Last week, xAI listed multiple job postings for "AI Tutors.""As an AI Tutor, you will be responsible for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4046537688/?refId=f4536046-2f42-4b94-a558-a6af9d28bdc1&amp;trackingId=YGsBMWB4TGKJGiRj5yw4kw%3D%3D">generating consistently high-quality and accurately labeled data</a> through various methods to facilitate the training of natural language processing algorithms. Collaborating closely with the technical staff, you will create datasets for model training, benchmarking, and overall advancement," one posting said.Another data labeling job posting specified the need for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4046546693/?refId=e921b85a-0cef-4676-8091-b6416f0e3f73&amp;trackingId=ruNakBY%2BRsqt%2BkB9i%2FyQaQ%3D%3D">bilingual AI tutors</a> who specialize in languages such as Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, German, Russian, Italian, French, Arabic, Indonesian, Turkish, Hindi, Persian, Spanish, or Portuguese.Compensation for the remote, full-time, six-month contract jobs was listed starting at $35-65 an hour. Multiple AI Tutors started their jobs in August and September, according to a LinkedIn analysis by Business Insider.Since <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-new-company-xai-website-2023-7">xAI's launch</a> in July 2023, Musk, who also heads SpaceX and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/waymo-cofounder-tesla-robotaxi-data-strategy-self-driving-2024-10">Tesla</a>, has pushed for the startup to rapidly develop AI and advance the "collective understanding of the universe." This includes launching its own generative AI program called <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-grok-elon-musk-ai-chatbot-2023-12">Grok</a> on the social media site X (formerly known as Twitter), <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter">which Musk owns</a>.Musk has previously said that "<a target="_blank" href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-says-xai-public-210338600.html">public tweets</a>" would be used for data training, and X <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/01/xs-privacy-policy-confirms-it-will-use-public-data-to-train-ai-models/">changed its user privacy policy </a>to allow the site's data to be used to train AI models.The company isn't the first Silicon Valley startup to rapidly hire data annotators for non-English languages. Last year, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-alexandr-wang-built-scale-ai-into-1-billion-company-2020-8">Scale AI</a> posted more than 60 jobs for languages like Bengali and Urdu, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://restofworld.org/2023/scale-ai-language-training-hiring/">Rest of World reported</a>. These languages are underrepresented and less common in written form on the internet, therefore requiring additional data to train large language models.X could help Grok improve its LLMs with a continuously updated data supply, although it's seen a drop in active users. According to Sensor Tower data from September, the X global mobile app's daily active users were down 15% year over year and down 28% compared to October 2022, around the time <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-reach-agreement-to-close-acquisition-deal-2022-10">Musk acquired the company</a>.Major advertisers like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-x-twitter-advertising-revenue-decline-report-2023-12">Disney and Apple</a> have also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-joins-list-major-companies-leaving-elon-musk-x-2023-12">pulled spending </a>away after Musk endorsed antisemitic views on X, which has seen reduced content moderation. In August, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/x-is-reinstated-elon-musk-brazil-twitter-2024-10">X briefly paused</a> operations in Brazil, its sixth biggest and largely Portuguese-speaking user base, after several legal battles related to disinformation and censorship.In September, xAI also brought online <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jensen-huang-elon-musk-supercomputer-xai-grok-2024-10">a new supercomputer</a> called Colossus. The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-may-build-xai-supercomputer-in-memphis-2024-6">Memphis-based supercomputer</a> operates using 100,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang praised its rapid development.While Musk has moved xAI's main operations into <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-xai-moves-into-openai-sf-old-hq-2024-10">OpenAI's old offices</a> in San Francisco, Colossus' expanded operations in Memphis <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2024/09/11/nx-s1-5088134/elon-musk-ai-xai-supercomputer-memphis-pollution">raised concerns about the impact of environmental pollution</a> on local communities, NPR reported. According to public requests obtained by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahemerson/2024/10/11/how-elon-musk-muzzled-government-employees-from-talking-about-xais-new-supercomputer/">Forbes</a>, xAI privately met with government officials and required non-disclosure agreements to bring its data center to Memphis.xAI did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.Got a tip or an insight to share? Contact this reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:hli@insider.com">hli@insider.com</a> or use the secure-messaging app Signal with the username: hliwrites.99.

Elon Musk's xAI is on a hiring spree for 'AI tutors'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>OpenAI has hired Meta's former hardware lead to head up its robotics team.</li><li>Caitlin Kalinowski previously led Meta's AR glasses hardware team.</li></ul>OpenAI has hired Meta's former hardware lead, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7259342289251033088/">according to a LinkedIn post.</a>Caitlin Kalinowski, who served as Meta's head of AR glasses hardware until July, said she was joining OpenAI to lead the company's robotics and consumer hardware efforts. "In my new role, I will initially focus on OpenAI's robotics work and partnerships to help bring AI into the physical world and unlock its benefits for humanity," she said in the post. "Thank you to the OpenAI team, Sam, Kevin Weil, PW, and to my friends and colleagues in engineering and beyond!"At Meta, Kalinowski oversaw the creation of Orion, Meta's prototype augmented-reality wearable glasses.Analysts and consumers have enthusiastically received the glasses, which were unveiled at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-impressed-wall-street-with-meta-connect-2024-9">Meta's Connect</a> event in September. However, the company has yet to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/orion-meta-ar-smart-glasses-review-2024-9">announce an official release date for Orion,</a> which reportedly costs around $10,000 a pair to build.The hire comes amid signs that OpenAI is reinvesting in its robotics efforts after shuttering the team in 2020.In May, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrickcai/2024/05/30/openai-robotics-team/">Forbes reported that</a> OpenAI had been hiring research engineers to rebuild the previously abandoned robotics team, something the company later confirmed.Per the report, OpenAI plans for the team to build technology that humanoid robot-makers, such as Physical Intelligence, will integrate into their own systems rather than directly competing with them.The ChatGPT maker is already working on a new AI device startup with former Apple design chief <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-fabulous-life-of-sir-jony-ive-2014-7">Jony Ive</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/laurene-powell-jobs-net-worth-life-career-spending-habits-2018-10">Laurene Powell Jobs</a>, the widow of the late Apple founder <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs">Steve Jobs</a>.Ive confirmed the collaboration in a profile published by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/21/technology/jony-ive-apple-lovefrom.html">The New York Times</a> in September.Representatives for OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

OpenAI hires Meta's former AR glasses lead to head its robotics team

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The tech industry is anticipating an upswing thanks to Trump's election this week.</li><li>VCs expect possible deregulation to boost innovation, with Musk potentially influencing government policies.</li></ul>Some venture capitalists <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-trump-return-startups-venture-capital-2024-11">expect US President Donald Trump</a> to dial back regulation, potentially making it easier to develop new technologies and do business in Silicon Valley. Many of these hopes are pinned on Elon Musk's involvement in the new administration."The most exciting thing of all will be putting Elon in charge of government efficiency," Ben Narasin, founder and general partner of Tenacity Venture Capital, told BI of the election outcome. "He's going to take a chainsaw through calcified butter, and it's going to be awesome to attack the bloat and overreach that we've had in the government."Trump is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-could-be-donald-trump-advisor-wsj-reports-2024-5">reportedly considering Musk</a> for White House roles, including ones that would audit various federal programs and organizations.Musk, in turn, has proposed creating a "Department of Government Efficiency" — cheekily nicknamed DOGE, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/history-elon-musk-love-affair-dogecoin-2022-7">a nod to the cryptocurrency Dogecoin</a> — that he said would remove dealmaking regulations that have slowed M&amp;A in the tech sector in recent years.While many in Silicon Valley dislike Trump, many VCs and startup founders crave more freedom to pursue riskier new technologies unburdened by regulation. In short, tech is stoked about this."Trump-Vance ticket is the first unabashedly pro-tech presidency in our Nation's history," said Augustus Doricko, CEO and founder of cloud seeding startup Rainmaker. He expects an onslaught of tech innovation during the Trump administration.In conversations with more than a dozen VCs and Silicon Valley executives following the election, many have echoed this sentiment — including those who supported Kamala Harris in the election."With a major push to remove unnecessary red tape and over-regulation in key areas, we could really have a century of crazy building, innovation, and acceleration," Aaron Levie, the CEO of cloud company Box and a Harris supporter, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://twitter.com/levie/status/1854237056287060266">posted on X Wednesday. </a>"Excited for Elon's efforts here."Mark Pincus, an early Facebook investor and the founder of Zynga, responded on X, "Effective accelerationism! E-acc," referring to the recent Silicon Valley movement that wants <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/effective-accelerationism-humans-replaced-by-ai-2023-12">technological advancements in AI</a> to move as fast as possible, without any guardrails.<h2 id="04af9d99-2642-43c3-875c-92cb63b01ca9">Regulation has held Silicon Valley back in recent years</h2>VCs during Biden's presidency have complained about how tough it's been to get deals done. The outgoing administration was an antitrust enforcer and put many tech mergers and acquisitions on hold that it deemed anti-competitive. This is particularly galling for VCs because they rely on selling startups in M&amp;A deals for many of their exits and returns.Limits on tech M&amp;A have "caused the rate of venture capital return of distributed proceeds to fall drastically, making new capital formation near impossible," said Louis Lehot, a top tech lawyer at law firm Foley &amp; Lardner. Silicon Valley is looking for a relaxation in the government's stance here "to enable exits and new capital formation, which is the cycle of innovation," he added.For example, regulatory pressure had <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-23/google-s-aborted-deals-for-wiz-hubspot-show-antitrust-s-shadow-over-tech">dampened deal-making at Google</a>, with the tech giant abandoning two potential purchases this year, including cybersecurity startup Wiz, which would have been one of the tech giant's biggest-ever acquisitions.The US also opened antitrust investigations into <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-acquihire-deal-inflection-ai-antitrust-probe-us-regulators-competition-2024-6">Microsoft</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elizabeth-warren-backs-justice-department-nvidia-antitrust-investigation-2024-9">Nvidia</a> earlier this year over their dominance in the hot AI space. The Federal Trade Commission is probing Microsoft's aqui-hire of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-hired-inflection-team-amid-board-concerns-about-openai-2024-3">Inflection AI,</a> and the Department of Justice is investigating Nvidia's acquisition of Israeli AI startup Run:ai.While some lawmakers say that allowing a few companies to influence the majority of AI research, development, and monetization poses an economic risk, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-vcs-in-silicon-valley-2024-7">many VCs have cried foul and accused FTC commissioner Lina Khan</a> — who has frequently sued to block mergers — of an anti-business bent and say it's tricked down to closing fewer startups deals, too.Investors were also critical of what they call <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cryptocurrency-bitcoin-influence-election-trump-harris-2024-10">unclear rules for cryptocurrency under the Biden regulation</a>. Many VCs and founders in the space donated to Trump and other Republican candidates, which they consider more favorable toward crypto technologies and markets.VCs are now hopeful that Trump <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-presidency-affect-big-tech-2024-11">could roll back</a> some antitrust and crypto policies that a Harris administration may have continued, although nothing is certain about the new administration's approach.Trump's running mate and former VC JD Vance has <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://thehill.com/policy/technology/4491363-vance-biden-ftc-chief-is-doing-a-pretty-good-job/">publicly said</a> that Khan is "doing a pretty good job," referring to her antitrust enforcement for Big Tech companies. At the end of Trump's first term, regulators under his administration launched antitrust investigations into Big Tech companies, including Amazon; and filed antitrust lawsuits against Google and Meta."At a high level, we expect Trump to cut corporate taxes and regulations, helping startup M&amp;A and investment," said Mason Angel, general partner at Industrious Ventures. "We may see new acquisition efforts by big tech with a new FTC director."Musk's influence could also help slim down the government's involvement in tech deals, these VCs told BI."Elon is a positive force who's had to run multiple companies that are heavily regulated, so he has a realistic view; since he's lived it, he can be influential," Narasin said of Musk's track record of building Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI. "He's pro-startup, pro-business, pro-everything that will help the US population. A good, healthy economy is good for everybody."<h2 id="a31623cb-2e54-4906-802e-37c294e98064">VCs anticipate an innovation boom</h2>America is a country of entrepreneurs, and that's especially true in Silicon Valley. Some VCs and founders say that having an entrepreneur like Musk influencing the Trump administration and potentially wiping away regulations will bring prosperity to the industry.Indeed, <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/trump-trade-us-presidential-election-dollar-treasuries-stocks-crypto-djt-2024-11">the stock market responded exuberantly</a> to Trump's decisive win on Tuesday night, which could eventually be a boon to venture firms seeking investments. Limited partners such as pensions and endowments have been choosier recently thanks to high interest rates and few exit options for startups. But their return to funding venture firms would, in turn, mean that more founders are building and getting funded."I would like to see the President given the power to unilaterally remove, or at least streamline, regulations around major projects or economic areas that will make it possible to actually build new things," tech blogger Ben Thompson <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://stratechery.com/2024/president-trump-take-two-big-tech-little-tech-chips-and-hardware-elon-musks-triumph/">wrote after the election.</a> "There needs to be a way to cut through all of the red tape that has accumulated.""I think the next four years will be imbued with aspirational mega-projects and visionary initiatives without precedent," Rainmaker's Doricko said. "New cities. Lunar and Martian colonization. Free electricity. Weather control."Angel, whose VC firm invests in the space, industrial, and defense sectors, says that those industries will experience strong growth."Trump created the Space Force in 2019, and his close relationship with Elon Musk will bring renewed attention and government investment into the field," Industrious Ventures' Angel said. "Same goes for the US industrial and defense bases."As various sectors within the tech industry ebb and flow, VCs say they're optimistic about the idea of having one of their own helping to call the shots at the federal level."Elon's going to be an enormously positive monster who delivers a cleaned up, slimmed down, pro-business government, and there will be prosperity for everybody," Narasin said.

Silicon Valley is betting a Musk-inspired Trump could unleash a startup boom

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Playground, a preschool software startup, was founded by Sasha Reiss and the Andrews brothers.</li><li>More Gen Zs are jumping on the "friendpreneur" trend and launching startups with friends.</li></ul>Sasha Reiss and brothers Daniel and Josh Andrews met over a decade ago in high school. From an early age, the trio worked well together — and now, in their mid-20s, they are in business together. "Sasha was basically our mom's third son," Daniel Andrews told Business Insider. "Growing up, we all worked in my mom's preschool — and the three of us realized we could help our family run the place better with technological improvements."The Andrews had a strong technical background, with degrees in computer science and engineering, while Reiss had expertise in design. Together, they founded and launched Playground, a preschool software management startup that handles everything from registration and payroll to attendance. The startup has raised $3.4 million since its launch in 2020.The trio are part of a growing 'friendpreneur' trend that's particularly popular among Gen Zs. Research published in July and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.photoroom.com/blog/friendpreneurship">commissioned by AI photo app Photoroom</a> — which surveyed 6,000 respondents across the US, UK, Mexico, Brazil, Korea, and Japan — found that more Gen Zs are launching startups with their friends. Around 60% of Gen Z founders who were surveyed had involved their friends in the business, compared to 42% of millennials and 21% of Gen X and boomers.Reiss and the Andrews brothers said that working together as friends has elevated their relationship and provided advantages for their business. <h2 id="be0a5052-7c57-40ad-91a9-166f00f692d9">Working as friends has streamlined communication</h2>The trio said they find it easier to discuss business decisions honestly because they are used to organically communicating with one another."We're each other's biggest fans, but we're also each other's biggest critics," Daniel Andrews said. "So we could take really intense feedback incredibly well, and we're able to turn things that might come off as a little bit rude into something more constructive because we can read between the lines, having just been knowing each other so long.""We've been able to operate significantly faster and be honest with each other because we have that initial layer and unconditional love for each other," Reiss added.Spending so much time together has also proven to be a business boon."I've been living with Sasha for four years, and it's pretty much a 24-hour cycle of hanging out minus sleep," Josh Andrews said. "But it's created a really good feedback loop where we take work home, but we also know how to have that separation when we leave the office."Reiss said that having an aligned schedule has also helped the three get "ideas flowing naturally" outside an office setting."I think a lot of our best ideas were made maybe at a bar getting a drink, or at a restaurant just getting dinner, and you're not even thinking about work — and I think that's a big reason why we come up with a lot of novel ideas for our visits," Daniel Andrews said.He added that their "shared life experience" has made them more empathetic and understanding of each other."We have had a lot of family health issues over the last couple of years as we've been on this journey," he told BI. "Being a first-time founder, it is incredibly beneficial to work with friends and family who can step up and take on that work. The lowest points definitely feel a lot less low when you have these kinds of people around you."<h2 id="eeb845a6-cb5e-4c5a-9973-27ffeddff013">Pick friends wisely </h2>Working with friends also poses its own challenges."We have similar backgrounds in similar skill sets, and so intentionally seeking out hires that bring a diverse background that's very different than ours has been much more important for us," Daniel Andrews said.Being a part of the same friend group can also pose logistical roadblocks. The trio often get invites to the same holidays or events — sometimes resulting in an "out of office" from all three."We've definitely navigated that by having people stay behind; we'd be like, okay we can't all leave right now," Josh Andrews said.While the trio is enthusiastic about the concept of launching a company as friends, they agree it's only worthwhile if they bring out the best in each other."If you have friends that you find that are like slowing you down, or like trying to distract you, or other things, those might not be the best friends to launch a startup with," Daniel Andrews said."But there are those friends who are always pushing me to run harder, do that extra like hike, run that mile faster."Those are the people that you really want to engage and work on something with. And I think selectively picking up friends who are available and those who are trying to push you to be better is the correct path forward," he added.

What it's like to launch a startup with friends, according to 3 Gen Z cofounders who created a childcare startup together

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ivan Maryasin founded Monite after moving from Silicon Valley to Berlin.</li><li>He said building a business in the US is expensive due to hiring and living costs.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Ivan Maryasin, 31, about moving from the US to Germany and launching his startup, Monite, in Berlin. The following has been edited for length and clarity.In 2014, I left Russia to do my master's in international business at the Hult International Business School in Massachusetts.I had a background in marketing from jobs in Russia and wanted to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/work-visa-moved-usa-canada-immigrants-2024-7">work in America</a>. While studying, I started working in the IT industry, doing marketing. It was a great introduction to innovation and startups.During my course, I transferred to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/san-francisco-new-york-london-tech-where-to-live-2024-8">San Francisco</a> campus and then stuck around working for multiple tech companies, designing and implementing growth strategies.But in 2017, I <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/surprising-things-moving-to-germany-from-us-2024-9">moved to Germany</a> to be closer to my then-fiancée, who I'd met in Moscow. We found it challenging to find a visa pathway that allowed her to move to the US and work as a dependant, so we both moved to Berlin. I got an EU Blue Card, and she was able to come with me as my partner with permission to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/german-vs-american-work-life-differences-according-to-us-mom-2024-4">work in Germany</a>.I already had plans to start my own company. However, as the cost of living in the US was starting to climb, I thought Europe would be a great location for a new business.I planned to continue working for startups in Europe before launching my company. I worked in HR tech and fintech, and in 2020, I cofounded <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/monite/company_financials">Monite</a>, a company that enables SMB platforms like Neobanks to embed automated features for things like invoicing to support their clients.I built the startup from the ground up to a 45-person team and raised over <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/monite-german-fintech-startup-raises-6m-funding-from-valar-ventures-2024-2#:~:text=The%20startup%20has%20raised%20a%20top%2Dup%20to%20its%20seed%20round%2C%20led%20by%20Third%20Prime%2C%20in%20March%202023%2C%20taking%20its%20total%20funding%20to%20%2417.4%20million">$17 million</a> from investors.I like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-to-do-in-berlin-germany-best-activities">Berlin</a> because it's a more affordable place to live and build a business, plus it's well connected to the rest of Europe. Here's how its startup ecosystem compares to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dating-silicon-valley-big-tech-hard-want-marriage-kids-2024-7">Silicon Valley</a>.<h2 id="e195bed4-45cb-4bba-ae91-f1e151fc0492">Berlin was a more affordable location to start Monite</h2>When I left the US, I visited multiple places in Europe and spoke to people in several cities, including Zurich, Barcelona, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-surprises-moving-to-london-according-to-american-2024-10">London</a>, to help me decide where to move. Part of the reason I chose Berlin is because its tech scene was really on the rise.There were a lot of founder meetups, pitch events, and accelerators in the city. Local funding was also available. At that time, I felt German funds had strong institutional support and seemed the most forthcoming in Europe. It's very common to speak English in Berlin, and I feel this is an advantage for startups because it attracts talent from the US, UK, and beyond.The cost of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-start-and-grow-a-business-founders-advice-2023-1">building a business</a> in the US is high due to the cost of living and hiring. As long as I could still fundraise in the US, which became easier because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I preferred Europe. My journey in the States made it easier for me to know how the US market worked when it came to fundraising.The cost of living in Berlin is lower. When I lived in San Francisco and the Valley, I paid more in rent and needed a car to get around. In Berlin, I mostly get around by bike. Everything is a few minutes away, and there's less traffic.Berlin is well-connected to Europe. You can get almost anywhere in Europe in a few hours. Having moved from California, it was wonderful to be able to see family members in Europe and go on getaways more easily.<h2 id="42d233d4-0ad7-46eb-b81a-fdfde2cf12fc">There are some downsides to living in Berlin</h2>It's difficult to find US-level talent in Europe. A lot of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/europe-best-cities-work-life-balance-ranking-2023-6">Europeans are focused on work-life balance</a>, but I'm a workaholic.It's hard to find people with the same values or who'll know what you're talking about when you say, "Silicon Valley benchmark." This refers to the strong emphasis on rapid scaling, competitiveness, and continuous self-improvement. In the US, I had friends working for LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and Facebook, so I could see this benchmark in front of me.The European investment ecosystem is much more risk-averse. In America, failure is seen as part of the game, with a strong focus on the potential upside.In Europe, the approach tends to be more cautious and conservative, with more emphasis on mitigating risks. I do think that's now starting to shift, but historically, that's been one of the hardest things to overcome in the market.I feel lucky and grateful to have raised money and for the support I've had. However, it's not easy to be a founder without a background in Germany because having local connections has traditionally been valuable. In the US, it isn't unusual to be a foreign founder.While <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/german-vs-american-parenting-relocation-berlin-kids-independent-helicopter-parenting-2024-10">living in Berlin</a>, I think it's necessary to be strategic about getting the assets I need from other places. Monite is headquartered in Berlin, and I mostly live here, but I also travel a lot to places like the US and London to meet people and get inspiration. We also have a couple of employees in the States.<h2 id="bc7c8b3f-e6df-4494-bc91-d8696a768513">I like living in Europe, but wouldn't rule out returning to America</h2>Most people in Silicon Valley are focused on startups and innovation. If you're all about work and want to focus 24/7, Silicon Valley is the place to be.But that also depends on whether you can be there. It's not accessible to everyone due to the high visa barriers. For example, the H-1B visa has a lottery system, and I know people who went to MIT and Harvard who either didn't want the hassle or didn't win the lottery, so had to leave.Living in the Valley wasn't for me because it meant compromising on family relationships and the ability to see friends in Europe.That said, I won't say I'd never go back to San Francisco. If the business required me to be in the States, I'd find a way to make it work for my family. But my preference is to live in Europe and be in the States often enough to get the benefits.Do you have a relocation story you want to share with Business Insider? Email <a target="_blank" href="mailto:ccheong@businessinsider.com">ccheong@businessinsider.com</a>

I left Silicon Valley for Europe. Here's why I chose to launch my startup in Berlin.

<div type="image" title="Founder Mode is the new buzzword in town" msid="113456356" hostid="261"></div> Silicon Valley is usually buzzing with new catchphrases every now and then. Earlier this year, the phrase “unbossing” captured corporate America’s imagination. The trend seems to be spreading in India as well with a few examples of companies firing middle managers. You can read more about the ‘unbossing’ trend in India here: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/article/whats-with-all-unbossing-talks-are-indian-companies-also-embracing-this-global-trend/articleshow/113395706.cms">What’s with all “Unbossing” talks?</a> Now, lo and behold, we've got a new trend straight from the minds of Silicon Valley's finest: <keyword id="23219793" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="founder-mode" source="Orion">Founder Mode</keyword>. It's like a superhero cape for CEOs but without the spandex. <keyword id="20064348" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Y-Combinator" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Y Combinator" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Y Combinator">Y Combinator</keyword> co-founder <keyword id="20555672" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paul-Graham" source="keywords">Paul Graham</keyword>, inspired by Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky’s talk at an event, penned a blog post about Founder Mode and it got the entire startup world talking. According to Graham, when Chesky scaled Airbnb, he initially followed the widely accepted strategy: hiring skilled professionals and giving them autonomy. However, this approach felt like running a marathon in flip-flops, it simply didn’t yield the desired results. So, he decided to go full-blown "Founder Mode," which is basically being the CEO, the janitor, and the motivational speaker all at once. <div type="image" title="Paul Graham’s blog post went viral" msid="113456577" hostid="261"></div> Graham’s post points out that this experience is not unique to Chesky — many other founders have faced similar challenges and come to similar conclusions. The result is a growing recognition of ‘Founder Mode’. <h2><keyword id="23219794" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="what-is-founder-mode" source="Orion">What is Founder Mode</keyword>?</h2>Founder mode is a mindset that allows entrepreneurs to remain deeply involved in their companies’ day-to-day operations, even as they scale. As we have seen in many Hollywood movies and real-world examples like Jobs, Musks, Zuckerbergs, and Murthys, founders operate (a bit too) differently from trained executives and managers. They're like the kids who built their own fort and refuse to let anyone else touch it. On a serious note, anecdotal evidence does support that founders focus on the vision, processes, and details of the business in ways that managers typically do not. Graham's post suggests that it’s a different way of running a company — one that involves a hands-on approach to leadership, where founders engage with more than just their direct reports. <div type="image" title="Founders are different from managers" msid="113456522" hostid="261"></div> Unlike traditional corporate structures, where the top management is expected to delegate and step back, Founder Mode requires more personal involvement. Basically, when the CEO of a company is in Founder Mode, where founders bypass layers of management to interact directly with lower-level employees, they can just walk over to a junior employee and ask “What’s up?”, something that <keyword id="19903807" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Elon-Musk" source="keywords">Elon Musk</keyword> reportedly has been doing for a while. One of the core aspects of Founder Mode, according to Graham, is that founders can make decisions with a level of intuition and insight that professional managers often lack. This is largely because they’ve built the company from the ground up and have an intimate understanding of its operations, culture, and customers. In contrast, professional managers are typically brought in to optimise and scale systems that are already in place, which might often lead to decisions that feel disconnected from the original vision of the company. <h2>Steve Jobs and Apple: The classic example of Founder Mode</h2> <div type="image" title="Many experts agree that Steve Jobs is a peak example of Founder Mode" msid="113456730" hostid="261"></div> A key example that Graham used is Steve Jobs, who famously ran Apple with an almost obsessive focus on product and design. Jobs didn’t simply delegate these responsibilities to his team; he was known for being involved in the minutiae, often directly challenging decisions and leading initiatives that others might consider too detailed for a CEO. Graham drew a parallel between this approach and what Chesky realised at Airbnb — that stepping back too much can actually harm the company. Founders, Graham wrote, are often “gaslit” into believing that they should adopt a more hands-off style, only to see their businesses suffer as a result. However, many experts also believe that Founder Mode is often disastrous for companies, except for rare examples, and a balance between founder and manager modes is necessary. <h2>Founder Mode VS Manager Mode: Experts weigh in on the debate</h2> <div type="image" title="Debates around Founder Mode have been rampant across social media since the beginning of this month" msid="113456800" hostid="261"></div> Debates around Founder Mode have been rampant across social media since the beginning of this month when Graham’s blog post came out. The philosophical divide between Founder Mode and Manager Mode often compels people to choose sides, while industry veterans and experts say that it’s important to understand both approaches and companies must try to achieve a balance between them. Sonica Aron, Founder of HR advisory firm Marching Sheep, recognises the importance of managers and says that it is important to have good people in the team and empower them. Talking to Business Insider India, she says, “As a founder, I find myself to be very purpose driven and passionate about my firm. As a result, sometimes decisions tend to get driven by the heart rather than the mind. Therefore it is essential to have bright and committed people in your team, empower them, involve them in decision making. Also, as the founder, I am responsible not just for the health of my business but overall well being of my team. If they do well, we all do well.” On the other hand, Mr. Srinivasa Addepalli, founder and CEO of GlobalGyan Leadership Academy, feels that the debate of Founder Mode vs Manager mode shouldn’t exist in the first place. He told Business Insider India that according to him, “all good leaders, whether startup founders or corporate executives, must be capable of both modes and switch between them depending on the context.” He added, “The Founder Mode leader tackles problems with passion and ownership, without concern for hierarchy, precedents, or due process. However, founders must remain humble about their fragility. To ensure sustainability, the Manager Mode—focused on developing others, building structures, and codifying knowledge—becomes essential, even as it requires them to relinquish some control and accept inefficiency. For instance, Steve Jobs’ decision to set up Apple University was a classic Manager Mode action by one of the best-known founders.” Ayush Singh, Founder of MaplePods, a smart-technology business, says, “Founder Mode may inspire new entrepreneurs, but seasoned founders know building something meaningful and scalable requires more than motivation—it's about solving problems, staying resilient, and seeking real support along the journey.” <h2>The downsides of Founder Mode</h2>While there are many people who believe that entering Founder Mode is healthy, some experts argue otherwise. They say that since founders are deeply connected to their vision, staying too hands-on can lead to micromanagement and hinder the growth of a leadership team. This creates a culture of dependency and can cause chaos when a founder steps into too many areas, leading to inefficiency and fear among employees. Mr. Ankit Aggarwal, founder and CEO of Unstop, told Business Insider India, “While Founder Mode can foster an entrepreneurial culture and drive rapid growth, it comes with significant challenges related to scalability, accountability, and founder burnout. As companies scale, Founder Mode can lead to bottlenecks, as founders may find it difficult to delegate. This limits the development of a strong leadership team and may stifle creativity from other employees.” Further, he adds that intense involvement can lead to founder burnout, negatively affecting both the individual and the company. “In the long run, while Founder Mode may work for early-stage <keyword id="6362513" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="startups" source="Orion">startups</keyword>, founders must recognise when to step back and 'devolve'. Devolving to allow the company to grow through more traditional structures, without succumbing to excess hierarchy. Balancing innovation with scalability is key to long-term success, allowing founders to focus on strategy while empowering their teams.” Meanwhile, Aleksandr Yampolskiy, cofounder and CEO of SecurityScorecard, said in a LinkedIn article that the Founder Mode has both pros and cons. He highlighted the value of founder mode in providing visionary leadership and empowering CEOs to challenge their teams and boards when necessary. However, Yampolskiy also wrote that overstepping and micromanaging can create chaos and a culture of fear. He said that founders must learn to evolve with the company’s growth, delegating and making themselves dispensable over time. <h2> Why are people talking about Founder Mode now?</h2> <div type="image" title="Why are people talking about Founder Mode?" msid="113456851" hostid="261"></div> So, why did Graham’s blog post go viral and why are people talking about Founder mode? Discussions around Founder Mode vs Manager Mode might have been around for a long time, but Graham’s post helped a great deal in popularising the confusion that millions of founders go through. Risa Mish, a management professor at Cornell University’s Johnson College of Business, told Observer that it is “no surprise that Graham’s message has resonated with founders for whom the conventional wisdom hasn’t worked.” “It comes down to something very basic, which is that one size never fits all.” Do you have insights or personal experience to share on start-ups or latest corporate buzzwords? Contact us at businessinsider@timesinternet.in.

SIMPLY PUT: Founder Mode — the secret sauce to startup success or fancy term for hustle and micromanagement?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sword Health cut a portion of physical therapists last month, the company confirmed to BI.</li><li>The startup is working to increase the number of patients its physical therapists care for using AI.</li></ul>Sword Health has made cuts to its clinical workforce as the $3 billion startup seeks to manage more patients with the help of AI, Business Insider has learned.The startup, which provides virtual care for conditions like muscle and joint pain, let go of 13 of its physical therapists treating patients in October, Sword confirmed to Business Insider.Three former employees who spoke with BI on the condition of anonymity said Sword previously had around 75 physical therapists actively caring for patients, putting the October cuts at around 17% of Sword's treatment-facing clinicians.The layoffs come as Sword seeks to enable its PTs to treat more patients using AI. Sword aims to have its physical therapists manage an average of 700 patients at any given time by the end of 2024, according to documents reviewed by BI. That's a significant jump from the caseload previously allotted to Sword's clinicians, according to three former employees, who said a high caseload at the beginning of 2024 would've been around 200 to 300 patients per therapist. These numbers could include patients who aren't actively engaged in therapy, according to the company.In a statement to BI, a Sword spokesperson said the cuts were "all performance-based decisions, made on clinical engagement data." The spokesperson said Sword currently has open positions for more than 30 physical therapists. Sword, which hit a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://swordhealth.com/newsroom/introducing-phoenix">$3 billion valuation</a> in June after pulling in $130 million in fresh financing, has been vocal about its ambitions to scale its business using AI while keeping clinicians in the loop."What we're looking to do internally is to have AI as one master expert, but at the same time, everything gets vetted and validated by a human person," CEO Virgilio Bento <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sword-health-strategy-focusing-on-ai-ahead-of-a-potential-ipo-2023-8">told BI</a> in September 2023.Three former employees said that Sword began using AI-generated messages for patient conversations in the spring. The technology allows the physical therapists to accept an AI-generated message, edit it, or reject it, before sending the message to patients, the former employees said. The AI also helps PTs prioritize the most critical patients who might need more attention, according to the company. Following its $130 million financing round, Sword announced an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://swordhealth.com/newsroom/introducing-phoenix">expansion of its AI platform</a> with a new product that the company said can converse with patients during their virtual physical therapy sessions and give them feedback in real time.It's also hoping to land more employer contracts with an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://swordhealth.com/newsroom/outcome-pricing">outcomes-based pricing model</a>, unveiled in September. In those contracts, Sword will get paid based on how much progress its patients make.Sword's recent technology and pricing pushes also point to an approaching IPO. Bento told BI in 2023 that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sword-health-strategy-focusing-on-ai-ahead-of-a-potential-ipo-2023-8">he'd only be interested in taking Sword public if it's profitable</a>. The startup said in June that it expects to be profitable by the end of 2024, and could go public <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.axios.com/pro/health-tech-deals/2024/06/04/sword-healths-road-to-ipo">as soon as the second half of 2025</a>.It's not the only digital health startup waiting at the IPO gates. Its biggest competitor, musculoskeletal startup Hinge Health, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hinge-health-s-1-morgan-stanley-ipo-2024-9">has hired banks, including Morgan Stanley, to file its S-1</a> in anticipation of a public market debut, Business Insider first reported in September.Omada Health is also expected to test the IPO waters. BI first reported in October that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exclusive-omada-health-confidentially-filed-s1-ipo-public-2024-10">Omada filed its S-1 this summer</a>.

$3 billion startup Sword Health cuts some physical therapists as it ramps up AI to treat more patients

Artificial intelligence is the buzzword in today's times and more and more companies are investing in the AI space. While there are big players like Nvidia, OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta and Apple, other companies are also hopping on the bandwagon. <keyword id="20128940" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Salesforce" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Salesforce" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Salesforce">Salesforce</keyword>, the cloud-based software giant, is also a part of the <keyword id="21041186" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-race" source="keywords">AI race</keyword>. According to a report in Reuters, the company recently announced its plans to <keyword id="20312439" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="acquire" source="keywords">acquire</keyword> <keyword id="23031429" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tenyx" source="keywords">Tenyx</keyword>, a <keyword id="19913824" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="startup" source="keywords">startup</keyword> that specialises in artificial intelligence-powered voice agents. The acquisition, for which the financial terms have not been disclosed, is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year. Upon completion, Tenyx’s co-founders, Chief Executive Officer Itamar Arel and Chief Technology Officer Adam Earle, along with their team, will be integrated into Salesforce. Founded in 2022 and based in California, Tenyx has carved a niche for itself by providing AI voice solutions across various industries, including e-commerce, healthcare, hospitality, and travel. The startup’s innovative approach has made it a valuable asset for Salesforce as the company seeks to strengthen its AI-driven offerings. This acquisition represents a significant step in Salesforce’s broader strategy to enhance its technological capabilities and reignite revenue growth. The move comes after a period of scrutiny from activist investors, which led Salesforce to announce last year its intention to double share buybacks and step back from its aggressive acquisition strategy. At that time, Salesforce had even disbanded its mergers and acquisitions committee, signalling a shift in focus. However, the acquisition of Tenyx indicates that Salesforce is now revisiting strategic acquisitions as a means to accelerate growth. The acquisition also mirrors recent moves by other major technology companies as they compete for AI talent and tools. Earlier this year, Microsoft acquired the AI startup Inflection for $650 million, while <keyword id="19904608" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amazon" source="keywords">Amazon</keyword> bolstered its AI capabilities by hiring co-founders and key employees from another AI startup, Adept, in June. These deals underscore the intensifying competition within the tech industry to secure a foothold in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence. Salesforce’s decision to pursue this acquisition comes on the heels of a strong financial performance in the second quarter, where the company surpassed Wall Street’s expectations for both revenue and profit. The growth was primarily driven by increased expenditure on Salesforce’s enterprise cloud products, highlighting the ongoing demand for robust cloud solutions. As Salesforce integrates Tenyx into its operations, the company is likely to leverage Tenyx’s expertise to further refine its AI-driven services, potentially leading to new product developments and enhanced customer experiences. The acquisition also signals Salesforce’s recognition of the growing importance of AI in the future of enterprise technology. With AI increasingly becoming a cornerstone of business operations across industries, Salesforce’s investment in Tenyx positions it well to remain competitive in a market where innovation and advanced technological capabilities are key to long-term success.

Salesforce joins the AI race, announces plans to acquire AI startup Tenyx

<ul class="summary-list"><li>MrBeast has acquired a startup called Vouch, which aids creators in hiring and job postings.</li><li>Vouch, founded by an ex-Cameo staffer, lists job openings for influencers and YouTubers.</li></ul>YouTube's top creator, MrBeast, has expanded his estimated <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-star-mrbeast-expects-700-million-revenue-this-year-2024-6">$700 million</a> a year business empire by acquiring the startup Vouch.Vouch, founded by former <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/gifts/what-is-cameo">Cameo</a> employee Marty Pesis, is a platform that helps creators build their own hiring sites and post job openings.Similar to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/linkedin-open-to-work-banner-badge-job-pros-cons-2024-9">LinkedIn</a>, the platform lets candidates create profiles to showcase their skills and list creators they've previously worked with. A creator can view the applicant's profile page and application and direct message them within the app."Creators really are much more like traditional businesses these days," Pesis said. "We found that creators that had ops people in seat were able to move a lot quicker and have a lot more effective hiring initiatives. So we often push our partners to start with that role if they didn't have it."With 318 million subscribers, MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, has a sprawling internal team. He also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-world-captivated-with-mrbeast-training-document-founder-mode-2024-9">runs several business ventures, including merchandise and products</a>.An internal guide to succeeding on YouTube and at Donaldson's company was recently leaked. Business Insider verified the guide with former staffers. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaked-mrbeast-guide-reveals-youtube-secret-weapons-for-success-2024-9">(You can read the guide here.)</a>Donaldson's team plans to use Vouch for his internal hiring efforts, the company said. In addition to Donaldson, creators including Yes Theory, Jesser, Stokes Twins, Safiya Nygaard, Danny Duncan, and AMP have all used Vouch to post job openings.Vouch's features include an AI-powered recommendation engine to match candidates with creators, a tool for creators to launch custom-targeted job posts, and careers pages and job boards for creators to showcase their teams.Vouch is one of a handful of startups looking to help connect workers in the growing creator economy, which <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/creator-economy-250-billion-market-and-here-to-stay-2023-11">Goldman Sachs analysts estimated could reach $480 billion by 2027.</a> Competing creator-focused job sites that offer similar tools and functionality to Vouch include YTjobs, <a target="_blank" href="http://yt.careers">yt.careers</a>, and CreatorEconomyJobs."We couldn't do what we do without our incredible team, and we're always looking for ways to improve our candidate experience," Kara McCloud, head of talent at MrBeast, said in an email. "Adding Vouch to the mix allows us to further support the team and enhance the hiring process in a way the industry has never seen."Pesis joined as the fifth employee at Cameo, where he spent time scaling its marketing and B2B efforts. At Cameo, Pesis worked closely with creators and learned from them how hard it was to find and hire talent, he said. Pesis brought on Patrick Dudek, also a former Cameo employee, to the Vouch team to help scale the platform."Hiring and building great teams is not just about getting introduced to the right talent," Pesis said. "It really is about having a sound recruiting and hiring process, and then also making sure that you're retaining top talent. I actually think these video editor roles in the YouTube world are a lot more than just video editors. People oftentimes are looking for what <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-land-job-youtube-creator-video-editor-2021-10">Hayden Hillier-Smith</a> calls a 'mini creator.' These editors are multi-talented, and they are often helping craft the storyline."Vouch was backed by Seven Seven Six, Liquid 2 Ventures, Shrug Capital, Niche Capital, WorkPlay Ventures, and angel investors including Andreas Klinger and Siqi Chen. The acquisition amount wasn't disclosed.

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