What Scaling AG1, Cinnabon & More Taught Me | Kat Cole

Not every experienced leader thrives in a startup. Few people understand this better than Kat Cole. As President & COO of AG1, she’s leading its growth in 60+ countries, driving a global health initiative poised to transform the $6.3 trillion industry.In conversation with Jason Shuman, Kat unpacks:- why 90% of pitches are dead on arrival,- subtle cues that expose a weak founder within minutes and,- the delicate balance between inspiring teams and over-convincing stakeholdersABOUT US:Primary is the largest early-stage venture firm in the world, with over $1B in Assets Under Management, and notable investments under its belt include unicorns like Slice, Chief, Electric, and more.With a dedicated team of Partners, Associates, and Advisors, Primary operates with one clear modus operandi: to allocate unreasonable resources toward building unfair advantages.Follow us on LinkedIn:Kat ColeJason ShumanPrimary Venture Partners00:00 Trailer01:02 Introduction01:08 Becoming unpopular, going to the unfamiliar07:36 A learning machine09:49 Building teams11:39 Selecting executive talent14:02 Recruiting and listening18:31 Deep and annoying questions21:37 Red flags23:31 Trying to sell work25:11 Leading in crisis32:22 Over communicating at work37:48 Skip level meetings41:48 Positive intent44:33 The compliment sandwich disproven46:41 Climbing the learning curve as an executive53:30 Almost very little matters without health58:56 Frameworks around big life changes1:02:16 AI's impact in the e-commerce world1:04:53 If you were the mayor of New York1:06:08 Outro