Most people think about company building as getting the strategy right, getting the product right, getting the right people. Kareem's view is that the most important thing is actually the energy and the spirit of the company — and that this is something the founder has to be intentional about creating and protecting.
The most important thing I've learned is that the team you build is the company you build. And I think most people intellectually agree with that, but they don't actually act on it. They settle. They hire people who are 'good enough' because the role needs to be filled, and then they wonder why the company doesn't perform the way they hoped.
Most people think about a company as a product and a business model and a go-to-market. But I think the most important thing is actually the culture and the team, because the product and the business model will change, but the culture and the team are what allow you to navigate that change.
You also got Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross. These guys have backed a lot of founders. They've worked with a lot of AI startups. They can understand the team that they're trying to build over there.
4mo ago
Underscored — save the words that stop you in your tracks.
