The Lonely Road Ahead
Building any business of consequence is a daring adventure; still when you’re an African American trying to scale a venture-backed technology company in Silicon Valley, the odds of pulling it off seem to be that much greater. For one John Aisien and his app optimization startup, Blue Cedar Networks, those challenges are real and overcoming them requires him to leverage this deep-rooted belief that any of us can embrace to win our most daunting battles. During this thoughtful conversation, John will explore this childhood conviction and the emotional swings that only a founder in the trenches can truly reveal. Here’s what guides our conversation:
- What most founders underestimate about the journey
- The biggest challenges for a first time founder/CEO?
- The balance between people and product in the early days
- The most important thing a leader needs to focus on to get the culture right
- The transition between builder and leader
- The one guiding principles that most governs his life
- Being African-American in Silicon Valley
- Resources:
- John Aisien
- Blue Cedar Networks
- Follow John Aisien
- Follow Blue Cedar Networks