Adapting to Startup Reality and Having More Impact

Nolan and Kelli talk about the culture shock of moving from corporate behemoths to the startup wild west. They share battle-tested wisdom on surviving the transition - from mastering the art of founder relationships to embracing the (sometimes brutal) transparency demands of startup employees. Along the way, they reveal how corporate luxuries like two-hour gym breaks get replaced by the exhilarating but exhausting reality of building something from scratch.*Email us your questions or topics for Kelli & Nolan: [email protected] coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/HR Heretics is a podcast from Turpentine.—📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccessSupport HR Heretics Sponsor:Metaview is the AI assistant for interviewing. Metaview completely removes the need for recruiters and hiring managers to take notes during interviews—because their AI is designed to take world-class interview notes for you. Team builders at companies like Brex, Hellofresh, and Quora say Metaview has changed the game—see the magic for yourself: https://www.metaview.ai/hereticsKEEP UP WITH NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINNolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:30) Understanding Startup Culture(03:26) Founder Relationship Importance(03:52) Pre-Start Relationship Building(05:35) Importance of Being "One with the People"(07:04) Danger of Being Viewed as the Enemy(08:25) Startup Employees Being Smart & Critical(09:19) Connecting with Early Employees(09:30) Sponsor: Metaview(11:01) Understanding "Sacred Cows"(12:28) Tactical Advice - Meeting Everyone(12:57) Goals of Meeting Everyone(14:00) Context Switching Exhaustion(14:25) Energy Management Importance(15:24) Non-Negotiable Self-Care(16:00) Wrap Up This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com