What mindset builds strong connections in tech startups?

Dave Becker

CEO and Founder · Campusesp

Adaptability

Dave Becker says the biggest thing he learned was adaptability — you have to adapt to where you are and listen more than talk at first — which he says is also a wonderful way to build trust.

The answer starts at 8:51.

Tomaz Stolfa

Co-founder / CEO · Sunrise Robotics

Long‑term alignment

Tomaz Stolfa says long-term alignment is something they really care about and that his cap table is long-term aligned and has capital to support it, because building a company is a long journey.

Jonathan Awad

Co-Founder, CEO · Baselayer

Give before product

Jonathan Awad says the hack is to give before product: figure out what someone wants, deliver it ahead of the ask, expect nothing, because the more you give, the more you get.

Andrea Baronchelli

Co-Founder & CEO · Aspire

Mindset

Andrea Baronchelli says mindset is the most critical of the two, mindset and competency, because it connects with behaviors—acted values—and he advises articulating the behaviors you want to see so you can check for them.

The answer starts at 27:46.

Peter Morelli

Co-founder and CEO · Bitdrift

Understand customers deeply

Peter Morelli says one key piece of advice is to understand customers deeply and spend more time with them than you have, because engineers tend to focus on technology rather than the customer and story.

The answer starts at 32:39.

Marty Kausas

Customer Support, also Co-Founder & CEO · Pylon

Likability of people

Marty Kausas says likability of people—whether you'd want to work with or under someone—is the underappreciated thing when building a team, and he asks it directly because most people don't.

The answer starts at 48:27.

AM

Andy Moss

CEO and Co-founder · Send

Finding aligned, caring people

Andy Moss says assembling a team of people somewhat aligned with how he sees the world and who care about what they're doing was key, because you can't easily test for people who care.

Saahil Goel

MD & CEO · Shiprocket

Mentorship

Saahil Goel says having mentors is crucial, since they have done it before and their advice can completely change a company's course.

The answer starts at 40:50.

Mike Kim

Co-Founder & CEO · Mycroft

Hang out socially

Mike Kim says he looks for investors he'd want to have a beer or hang out with, because it lets you talk through problems and what’s going well or not and build a great relationship.

Gyve Safavi

Co-Founder & CEO · SURI

Invest in cofounder relationship

Gyve Safavi says the fundamental thing is to invest in your cofounder relationship and figure out the dynamics between each other, because respecting different ways of thinking and seeing differences as a superpower helped them achieve more together.

Aizada Marat

CEO & Founder · Alma

Focus on real problem

Aizada Marat says the most important thing is to think about whether the problem a founder wants to solve is real, a nice-to-have or a must-have, because founders otherwise fall in love with the idea too early.

Alex Konrad

Founder and Editor · Upstarts Media

Show hustle

Alex Konrad says you have to show hustle—playing angles and getting creative to reach the person you're trying to connect with—because it improves your chance they will say yes.

Kabir Siddiq

Founder & CEO · Sleepycat

Empowering people

Kabir Siddiq says the key is empowering people—making them feel entrepreneurial because they drive the business—and that if he takes care of them, they take care of the work.

Gabrielle Marquez

Founder Solutions Lead · Finstrat Management

Give without expectations

Gabrielle Marquez says you have to give without expectations, because giving with expectations makes it a business transaction; her experience is that normal, nice people win because people want to do business with them.

Blake Scholl

Founder/CEO · Boom Supersonic

Caring

Blake Scholl says caring is one of the most important things to look for in people, because you can teach skills and knowledge but not how to care if someone doesn't.

Neil Patel

Co-Founder · Np Digital

Give more than you get

Neil Patel says networking and relationships are more about giving more than you get; if you give a lot more than you receive—like four to one—you'll do a lot better.