Uri Levine

Guest: Uri Levine - Co-founder of Waze and serial entrepreneur. Uri has co-founded 10 companies, served on 20 startup boards, and built two unicorns, including Waze, which was sold for over a billion dollars. Key Takeaways: Fall in Love with the Problem: Focus on solving a significant problem rather than jumping to solutions. This approach increases the likelihood of success and aligns your team and customers with your mission. Hiring and Firing: After hiring, set a 30-day reminder to evaluate if you'd hire the person again. If not, let them go immediately to maintain team quality and morale. Fundraising Tips: Start your pitch with your strongest point, as first impressions are crucial. The first and last slides of your presentation should highlight your key strengths. Understanding Users: Observe how different users interact with your product to uncover unexpected usage patterns and improve your offering. Focus on why users churn to enhance retention. Startup Phases: Focus on one phase at a time—product-market fit, growth, or business model. Trying to tackle multiple phases simultaneously can dilute efforts and lead to failure. Topics Covered: Startup journey, problem-solving, hiring and firing, fundraising strategies, user understanding, product-market fit, growth strategies, storytelling in pitches.