Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast

Written by: Growth Elevated
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  • Summary

  • The Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast is designed to help you become a better leader. Each week we interview C-Level leaders of SaaS and other technology companies and explore their lessons from their growth journey.
    Growth Elevated
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Episodes
  • Trail Marker: Effective Hiring Practices

    Trail Marker: Effective Hiring Practices
    Sep 8 2024

    In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli delves into the critical theme of effective hiring practices in technology companies. He emphasizes the importance of a structured and data-driven hiring process, advocating for standardized job descriptions, candidate scorecards, and a consistent interview process. Key points include the philosophy of "hiring slow and hiring well," the benefits of data-driven decisions, and the efficiency gained from a structured approach. The episode concludes with a call to action for leaders to refine their hiring practices to ensure better outcomes and stronger teams.

    For more resources on how to be a a better leader in business, please visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Timestamps:

    Introduction to the Podcast (00:00:02)
    Julian Castelli welcomes listeners and introduces the theme of effective hiring in tech companies.

    The Importance of Hiring Slowly (00:00:27)
    Discussion on the balance between hiring slowly and ensuring quality hires without unnecessary delays.

    Structured Hiring Processes (00:01:13)
    Emphasis on using structured and data-driven approaches to improve hiring quality.

    Challenges in Hiring (00:02:22)
    Exploration of the difficulties and anxieties associated with the hiring process.

    Refining the Hiring Process (00:05:22)
    Suggestions for creating a structured hiring process to improve outcomes.

    Standard Job Descriptions (00:06:25)
    Importance of having standardized job descriptions across teams for clarity and consistency.

    Defining Roles and Responsibilities (00:07:19)
    Focus on specifying clear outcomes and responsibilities in job descriptions.

    Professional Qualifications and Characteristics (00:08:17)
    Advice on limiting qualifications and personal characteristics to ensure focused evaluations.

    Screening Interview Process (00:10:23)
    Recommendation for a preliminary screening to filter candidates before executive interviews.

    Standardized Scorecards (00:10:30)
    Introduction of a standardized scorecard for consistent evaluation of candidates.

    Interview Structure and Evidence Gathering (00:11:30)
    Outline of how to conduct interviews using scorecards to gather compelling evidence.

    Scoring Candidates (00:14:18)
    Explanation of how to score candidates based on their interview performance and characteristics.

    Data-Driven Decision Making (00:16:08)
    Highlighting the benefits of using data from scorecards to make informed hiring decisions.

    Collaborative Review of Scores (00:17:07)
    Encouragement for team discussions to refine candidate evaluations based on scorecard data.

    Data-Driven Hiring Process (00:18:06)
    Discussion on using data to identify top candidates through structured interviews and scorecards.

    Structured Approach Benefits (00:18:55)
    Explains how a disciplined, structured hiring process can lead to better outcomes without taking much extra time.

    Confidence in Hiring (00:19:59)
    Emphasizes the importance of structured job descriptions and processes in enabling confident hiring decisions.

    Closing Remarks and Resources (00:20:28)
    Encourages listeners to subscribe, recommend the podcast, and explore additional resources on leadership.
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    21 mins
  • Patrick Brandt - Former President & Co-Founder of Shiftsmart

    Patrick Brandt - Former President & Co-Founder of Shiftsmart
    Aug 26 2024
    In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli interviews Patrick Brandt, a seasoned entrepreneur and business leader. Patrick shares his entrepreneurial journey, detailing the challenges and successes he encountered while founding and leading various companies, including Shiftsmart. He discusses the impact of the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic on his ventures, emphasizing the importance of resilience and adaptability. Patrick also highlights the significance of balancing supply and demand in a marketplace, the role of partnerships, and the necessity of understanding the labor pool to ensure business success. For more resources on how to be a a better leader in business, please visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Timestamps: Introduction to the Podcast (00:00:02)Julian Castelli welcomes listeners and introduces the episode's focus on leadership challenges in tech companies. Guest Introduction (00:00:30)Julian introduces Patrick Brandt, highlighting his entrepreneurial journey and the challenges he faced traveling to the podcast. Patrick's Early Entrepreneurial Spirit (00:01:32)Patrick shares his background, mentioning his early ventures in entrepreneurship, including a lawn mowing business at age 11. The Seminal Moment (00:02:18)Patrick recounts a pivotal moment when his father's company was taken over, igniting his resolve to never work for anyone else. First Company Launch (00:03:17)He discusses starting his first company in 1996 and the challenges faced during the dot-com crash. Investment and Growth (00:04:19)Patrick talks about securing investment and the challenges of selling software during the early 2000s. Acquisition Experience (00:06:15)He describes acquiring a public company and navigating the challenges of leading a much larger organization. 2008 Financial Crisis Impact (00:08:13)Patrick reflects on the challenges faced during the 2008 financial crisis, despite having a successful business at the time. Transition to New Ventures (00:11:09)After selling his company, Patrick discusses his recruitment to run an on-premise company and subsequent successes. Introduction to Shift Smart (00:12:23)Patrick introduces Shift Smart, a company focused on flexible labor solutions in the gig economy. Shift Smart's Mission (00:13:14)He explains the company's mission to help workers stack shifts across multiple jobs to increase flexibility. Raising Funds and Initial Growth (00:14:21)Patrick discusses raising funds in late 2019 and the company's growth trajectory before the pandemic. COVID-19 Impact (00:15:46)He describes the immediate impact of COVID-19 on Shift Smart's business operations and workforce. Innovative Response to Food Insecurity (00:16:59)Patrick shares how they pivoted to help food banks by employing laid-off workers during the pandemic. Launch of Nonprofit Initiative (00:18:06)He details the creation of a nonprofit to employ out-of-work hospitality workers in food banks. Community Support and Media Attention (00:19:07)The initiative gained media coverage, showcasing a creative solution to COVID-related challenges in the community. Shift Smart's Rapid Growth (00:20:10)Patrick shares the rapid expansion of Shift Smart into 12 cities, raising $16 million and serving 60 million meals. The Call Center Challenge (00:21:05)Patrick discusses a last-minute request from the SBA to set up a call center in just 72 hours. Partnership and Problem-Solving (00:22:15)Despite initial setbacks, Patrick and his partner strategize to meet the SBA's urgent call center needs. Recruiting and Implementing (00:24:09)They face the challenge of recruiting 3,600 people and implementing necessary software in a tight timeframe. Unexpected Outcomes (00:25:08)Despite being prepared, no calls came in, but the program became significant for the SBA and their business. Navigating Zero Revenue (00:27:14)Patrick recounts the drastic drop to zero revenue and their decision not to lay off any employees during the crisis. Adapting to Market Changes (00:29:18)The pandemic shifted their business model from hospitality to on-demand labor, changing their workforce dynamics. Rapid Worker Growth (00:30:12)Shift Smart experienced unprecedented growth, reaching nearly 4 million workers on the platform in a short period. Investment and Leadership Transition (00:31:33)In late 2021, they secured $100 million in funding, leading Patrick to step back from daily operations. Nonprofit Efficiency (00:32:14)Patrick praises Akash for revolutionizing nonprofit operations, improving efficiency and throughput during their initiatives. Lessons on Partnerships (00:35:53)Patrick emphasizes the importance of choosing partners with aligned values and experiences for navigating challenges. Marketplace Challenges (00:39:00)Discussion on the cold start problem in marketplace businesses and strategies to ...
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    46 mins
  • Rob Castaneda - Founder & CEO of ServiceRocket

    Rob Castaneda - Founder & CEO of ServiceRocket
    Aug 11 2024

    In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli interviews Rob Castaneda, founder of ServiceRocket. They discuss the importance of SaaS companies understanding customer needs and filling service gaps beyond their core product offerings. Rob emphasizes the significance of building a profitable ecosystem with foundational partners to ensure dedicated attention and success. He shares insights from his experience with Atlassian, highlighting the need for a partner like ServiceRocket to provide professional services and support to customers, enabling them to fully utilize software within their unique business environments. The conversation also touches on the concepts from Geoffrey Moore's "Crossing the Chasm" and the importance of recognizing that people, not logos, buy software.


    For more resources on how to be a a better leader in business, please visit us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthElevated.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Welcome to the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast (00:00:02) Introduction to the podcast and its purpose.


    Introduction to Growth Elevated and Tech Summit (00:00:27) Promotion of the Growth Elevated community and its offerings.


    Introduction to Rob Castaneda and Service Rocket (00:01:10) Background and introduction of Rob Castaneda, founder of ServiceRocket, and his association with Atlassian.


    Rob's Triathlon Experience (00:02:29) Rob shares his experience as a lousy triathlete and the challenges he faced.


    Service Rocket's Early Engagement with Atlassian (00:04:44) Rob narrates the early days of ServiceRocket's collaboration with Atlassian and their role in promoting Jira.


    Service Rocket's Training Approach (00:11:41) Discussion about ServiceRocket's training strategy and the transition from early adopters to the early majority.


    Service Rocket's Professional Services (00:18:11) Details about ServiceRocket's professional services and their approach to enabling and empowering customers.


    Conclusion and Overview of Service Rocket (00:19:49) Summary of ServiceRocket's unique approach and the importance of understanding customer nuance.


    Filling the Gaps in SaaS Business (00:20:24) Discussion on the conventional wisdom of valuing SaaS companies based on subscription revenue and the potential gaps it leaves for customers.


    Understanding the Customer's Ecosystem (00:21:36) Exploration of the importance of understanding and catering to the customer's ecosystem for successful SaaS adoption and expansion.


    Building an Ecosystem (00:24:00) Insights into the process of building an ecosystem for SaaS companies and the role of foundational partners in the ecosystem.


    Clarity and Communication with Partners (00:32:39) Importance of internal clarity and treating partners as an extension of the team for successful collaboration.


    Journey of Building a Business (00:36:11) Challenges and lessons learned in the journey of building a business, including leadership, cultural understanding, and mentorship.


    Networking and Mentorship (00:38:15) The significance of mentorship, networking, and paying it forward in business and leadership.


    Where to Find Rob (00:40:13) Information on where to connect with Rob Castaneda, including his company website, LinkedIn, and his substack on leadership behaviors.


    Thank you (00:40:46) Closing remarks and gratitude expressed by the speakers.


    Podcast promotion (00:40:52) Encouragement for listeners to follow, subscribe, and recommend the podcast, along with a website invitation.


    Closing (00:41:13) Final thank you and sign-off from the host.
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    41 mins
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Management & Leadership Economics
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