This week Kelli Dragovich and Nolan Church sit down with Peterson Conway, headhunter, investor, and advisor who shares insights from his epic career working closely with Silicon Valley greats like Peter Thiel, Kevin Hartz, Keith Rabois, and Joe Lonsdale. Conway has assembled talent for the founding/early teams of Xoom, Palantir, Founders Fund, and 8VC
Strap in for some crazy stories. Conway's journey highlights the significance of curiosity, optimism, and unconventional hiring practices in Silicon Valley. Conway reflects on the profile of talent he looks for and drills down to certain keywords he uses to search for seeking individuals with strong convictions and a "fight from the bottom" spirit.
HR Heretics is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co
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LINKS:
Zero to 1 by Peter Thiel & Blake Masters: https://www.amazon.com.au/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804139296Butthole Notorious: https://pconway-73418.medium.com/butthole-notorious-e4ac4ff12db4
Peterson Conway: https://www.petersonconway.com/
KEEP UP WITH PETERSON, NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDIN
Peterson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petersonconway/
Nolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/
Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/
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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Preview
(01:49) Intro
(02:41) Peterson's Unconventional Path to Silicon Valley Success
(09:23) Navigating Challenges and Learning from Silicon Valley Titans
(16:18) Exploring the Magic of Silicon Valley and Beyond
(18:56) Sponsor: Attio
(24:46) The Dynamics of Connectivity, Safety, and the Future of Work
(27:37) Exploring the Intersection of Fear and Love
(27:55) The Therapeutic Journey: From Fear to Healing
(28:13) On Guilt, Shame, and Vulnerability
(29:55) Unfiltered Conversations: Embracing Discomfort
(31:42) The Power of Silence in Communication
(32:26) Team Construction and the Quest for the Right Hire
(35:04) Recruiting: From Elite Schools to Keyword Searches for Grit and Determination
(39:14) The Role of HR in Shaping Company Culture
(43:36) On Unconventional Recruiting and Finding Hidden Gems
(50:19) The Art of Asking for Forgiveness, Not Permission
(50:41) Wrap
Andreessen Horowitz's Matt Oberhardt on Backchannels, MOC Interviews, and Exec Recruiting in 2024
SymphonyAI's Jen Trzepacz on Comp Transparency, Yahoo's Early Days, and the Real Deal on CPO-CEO Relationships
Getting Honest About DEI in 2024: A Conversation with Colleen McCreary and David Hanrahan
The Enigmatic Q Hamirani on Turnarounds, AI, and the CPO Grind
A Deep Dive on Firing Executives
VC Dan Portillo, Founder/GP of TheGP on Being the Godfather of Talent Partners, Starting His Own Fund, and Experimentation
Segment: Is the DEI Movement in Tech Causing More Harm than Good?
Navigating the CEO-CPO Relationship with Lattice's Cara Brennan Allamano
Brett Queener Unfiltered: A Wake Up Call for Tech, 2024 Planning, and Driving High Performance
The HR Insider: Melanie Naranjo, VP People at Ethena Gets Real
David Hanrahan on High Performance: Comp Strategy, Performance Cycles, and New Norms
Steve Cadigan on Blitzscaling LinkedIn, Competitive Exec Teams, and RTO
Molly Graham on Building a Powerful Network, Managing Your Emotions, and Creating High Performing Teams in Hyperscale
Tomasz Tunguz on Hiring the Right Talent, Firing the Wrong Execs, and Navigating M&As
Colleen McCreary on Layoffs, M&A, and Recruiting the Best Talent
Patty McCord Thinks HR People Are Business People
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