Episode 6

full
Published on:

30th Jun 2020

Gustaf Alströmer | The Formula to Build a Successful Company

Today’s guest is Gustaf Alströmer, a partner at Y Combinator, a company that helps young startups connect with investors and even acquirers. Gustaf worked as a Product Lead on the Growth team at Airbnb, and is very familiarized with the characteristic startup and funding trends and activities of Silicon Valley. 

In this episode, Luba chats with Gustaf about company building, funding and the consumer behavior prior and during the COVID-19 health crisis. Learn all about the benefits of remote working and hiring for startups, the boom of e-commerce, and the importance of being able and willing to change and transform as a company. This episode is packed with relevant advice for both early and settled founders: from the basic ingredients needed for building a company, to the conducts that could be sinking your company down. Never underestimate the amount of work and learning that company building takes.

COVID-19 came out of the blue and impacted every aspect of our lives: from the way we do business to the way we now breathe cleaner air. This pandemic should be a wake up call for all of us. Listen to this full conversation to learn where your leader mindset should be driven to, as social distancing is still a part of our day-to-day lives. Even though building a company is extremely difficult, you don’t need to be in Silicon Valley to build a successful one!

Key Takeaways: 

  • Adopting and implementing remote working and hiring in the startup and business ecosystems.
  • How technology surpasses physical boundaries to support international collaborations.
  • Gustaf’s three-ingredient formula for building a successful company.
  • The three common mistakes startup companies make that increase their chances of failing.
  • The consumers’ and market’s behaviors during COVID-19 and how they could shift after the pandemic.
  • The global founders’ panorama and the key skills leaders should focus on to stay relevant in the market.

Resources

Subscribe to the Y Combinator Youtube Channel 

Follow Gustaf on Twitter

Follow Luba on Instagram

Connect with Luba on LinkedIn

This show is being produced by StudioPod, a full-service podcast company based in San Francisco. If you want more details on how to fully record and produce your podcast with our services, you can reach us at http://studiopodsf.com, send us an email at info@studiopodsf.com or contact us through our social media channels as @studiopodsf.

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About the Podcast

The Meeting
Luba interviews exciting and prominent professionals from various industries and functions on their personal and professional journeys.
Each episode, I bring on an exciting guest to talk about their professional and personal journeys, reflection, and expertise. This season we are focusing on the impact of the coronavirus on the industry they are in.

Past guests include Gustaf Alstromer, Marina Mogilko, Haseeb Qureshi, and more.

About your host

Profile picture for Luba Yudasina

Luba Yudasina

Originally from Belarus, Luba lives in Silicon Valley and is thriving in tech. She spent the last 5 years working for top tech companies such as Airbnb and Yelp, first as a self-taught Software Engineer and then, as a Product Manager. She is passionate about social media, having grown a substantial following on YouTube (Life of Luba), learning, and personal development.