The Human Founder

Episode 37 - with Ohad Tzur, Co-founder & COO, Kahoona.io

Ohad decided to pursue his dream at the age of 28 and go for an MBA at an Ivy League. He didn't have all the answers about his path and where it would lead him, but he believed in himself, and had the grit to pursue it. He understood back then that one shouldn’t fear going outside their comfort zone - that’s where growth happens and where people thrive.

 

Team Building

Ohad shares his 5-years of experience at Google in Silicon Valley and what he learned about team building. He shares the various initiatives he led that helped him see how much intrapreneurship is vital to a company's growth.

We spoke about key elements in nurturing teams and making them move fast:

1. Ownership. That should be a key-value in startups. Leaders should provide their teams with an arch and a goal, and let them figure it out while guiding them. Once you put timelines in place and expected key results - then the checks and balances work well, and as a leader - you have enough opportunities to make sure the team is moving in the right way. 

Feedback is a critical part of it, and when giving feedback - it’s better for it to be direct, focused, and conveyed as a question so that your team members will reflect on their work, such as what they learned from it or what was challenging for them. 

1. Situational Leadership - people are different. Therefore, as leaders, we should personalize how we coach them. We have to identify the level of each team member and address them in a suitable manner. Of course, that in various life cycles of the employee/ the company - those levels of need leadership can vary, and as leaders, we have to keep our hand on the pulse:

• Entry level/ less experienced employees need their leader to direct them. That’s why as managers, we should provide him with guidance.
• More experienced employees - need coaching>> we should be questioning them questions that will help them evolve and grow.
• Senior managers need support. As their leaders - we should be there for them when needed.
• Executives need their leaders to delegate things to them and let them lead.

1. Pause. Leaders need to pause often and ask themselves, ‘what do you do to build your credibility & inspire others?’. Credibility is based on value and not necessarily on the things you’ve done in the past.

 

Decision Making

Ohad left Google to be an executive in a startup. The question is, WHY?

We have two pillars guiding us in life - the emotional axis and the logical one.

While the mental axis reflected that he was too much in his comfort zone, the logical one made him do an in-depth risk assessment for where the new startup will be in the next few years.

By gaining information over several months, he helped himself bridge the gap between the emotional and logical axis and make the move. 

 

We spoke about how it feels being an executive employee in a startup - which involves holding the truth that it’s not yours. This led him to a new startup, after which he built one of his own.

 

Holacracy

Holacracy is a managerial method that moves the hierarchy and power, and empowers the employees. It is a much more flexible method that puts the employees in the center, as it’s built-in circles, and the employees can have a few roles within the organization. The employees need to reflect that they need some assistance/mentoring in various fields, which leads to a governance where everyone has a voice. This method does not fit all kinds of CEOs and usually applies to slightly more mature startups - once they have +100 employees. On the employees’ side - it requires them to be super proactive about what will enable their growth. 

 

We spoke about the new venture Ohad is pursuing and how to choose the right co-founder for you - which means that first of all , one should do a clear assessment of their skills. Then comes trust, then the “working day” - you should work together for a few days and see how it feels; after which, ask for referrals. At last - try to find a ‘Founders-Market Fit’ - and check, if you are as co-founders, can really differentiate yourself in the specific market, and if the idea will change (which it probably will) - you will survive and evolve.

Episode 36 - with Sagi Schliesser, Founder & CEO of Crazy Labs, Angel Investor

From a Founder to an Angel Investor - Being Brave to Pivot, Part Ways from Your Co-Founders & Sell Your Company

 

Sagi found himself asking several times in his career - “What Can I Be The Best At?”

He was always into computers and psychology, figuring out how to combine those dual inherent skills & passions of his.

He founded several ventures in the sports arena that were the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey.

 

Every Year There is a December

Sagi created for himself a very useful ritual - a Yearly December Mental Notes Routine - which in fact - he was considering whether to rehire himself to the same position - not only professionally wise. He was going over various aspects of his personal & professional life and checking the pulse, then making decisions whether or not he should continue in the same path. Sometimes - decisions were too complex to be taken in the coming December - so he would add a mental note for the future, and reconsider with himself in the following year.

 

When he had to choose between several good job opportunities, which was not an easy decision, one driven by ego-money-title - he cut a deal with himself - and “signed tentatively” - which enabled him to review his decision,reassess where it brings him to in the future, and to keep a space open to choose the other path, if needed.

 

0-1

Sagi is a zero-one person. He knows how to build things from scratch and grow them.

He joined @IDIT in the InsurTech sector, and worked with the biggest Insurance corporations in the world. He was there for 7 years (In the Jewish religion 7 is a special number with a deeper meaning - a typology number. Same goes to Sagi’s journey, and we’ll get to that number again). Moving on to @Sapiens - Sagi led amazing operations also for 7 years, but along the way - he felt that his soul needed to be nourished with something else. So he went to his boss, who saw him, and allowed him to start working on a side project that would nurture Sagi’s creativity. Guy, his future Co-founder - joined him. And they started again - 0-1.

Sagi always wrote a lot. So at the age of 35 - instead of just writing to the drawer - he also published his children’s book - dedicated to his daughter - “HighTech Dad”. He wrote about his passion for what he does, with the trade-offs it contains in it. His smart daughter who saw through him told him - “keep on doing what you love - just come home a bit earlier”.

 

His “side project” got bigger, and he felt he had to cut the cord and go all in - in his startup. That’s when TabTable became a key player in the gaming industry.

 

I asked Sagi, as a dad who leads a gaming company - how does he feel about what he does with nowadays children’s addiction to screens, tech & gaming. “There's hypocrisy in many of the things we do. We solve the problem of being bored. At the end, or actually the beginning - it’s on us, the parents, to educate and be a role-model. Kids like to imitate - and they see us with the mobiles all day long - they simply do the same”. 

And I add - maybe boredom is not the problem we should solve? Adults & children need to learn how to contain boredom and feel comfy with themselves & with being uncomfortable sometimes as well, instead of resisting it and feeling an urge to fill it with screen time. 

 

Pivoting & splitting

TabTable was a gaming company, focusing on games for children. 7 years - and they felt a change had to happen. That’s when they pivot to @Crazy Labs, focusing on adult games. “We constantly change. Change structure, products. The market changes, the users - we have to adapt and be constantly ready to see what comes.” 

That’s also when it hit him, that change is not for everyone. When you’re more of a conservative person - change can be hard. People evolve differently, and Sagi felt that he and his partner were seeing things in a different way. The company was profitable, but Sagi didn't want just to optimize things - he wanted to continue to grow. That’s how the chaos began. From working together every night - to not communicating at all. It was too emotional and draining - they understood they had to split. 

Sagi speaks about founders' relationships and how important it is to understand who is the owner. CEOs need to make hard decisions and that can cause a dispute in the leadership. That year, he didn't do his December Routine. He also got divorced and altogether - things were hard.

 

Sagi grew Crazy Labs, leading it to a great deal, selling the company to a Sweden corporation. The market was hot, 2 co-founders left, there was momentum, the shareholders thought it’s a good play. The new company manages everything in a very transparent way, and as you can guess - they built together a 7-year plan in which Sagi leads Crazy Labs in a full autonomy.

 

From a Founder to an Angel Investor

Sagi invests in a diverse portfolio of companies - bringing his extensive experience in startups into the companies he chooses to invest in. He looks at the team & the product - to clearly understand its needs. The chemistry with the team is priceless - it needs to be a good fit. He was one of the 1st angel investors in @Jfrog and @safeDK, so - so far, there are great instincts involved.

 

Sagi is a very dedicated entrepreneur, founder, leader and dad. He saw a lot. 

He speaks frankly about how to part ways with your co-founder, and if necessary - how to try and manage the process through mediation as opposed to lawyers. For him personally - it was already impossible to mediate at that point. He recommends very much to have someone at the board, that both of the co-founders feel comfortable with and trust - so that in case of a dispute - he.she can help mediate.

When I asked him if he believed the investors should take sides in a case of a major dispute - Sagi says it depends on how well they are involved in the company and familiar with what’s going on there. As a founder - he only wanted the investors to take side and be aligned- otherwise it’s a deadlock to the company.

Episode 35 - with Shira Eting, Investor at Vintage Investment Partners

What does it mean to “Be Yourself” and shape your life journey accordingly?

 

Shira is a daughter to a father who is a pilot and a psychoanalyst mom.

She was born and raised in an atmosphere where freedem of choice is present and a message that everything is possible - sex doesn’t play a role.

When she was 10 years old - she remembers the first woman who graduated from the flight academy in the Israeli Air Force - and that was a meaningful moment for her.

Growing up - she did “Shnat Sherut '' in a “Mechina” at Kanot - another milestone that emphasizes her values and some of the choices she'll make later on in life. Volunteering was something she had to do, and during the Mechina - the bubble exploded. She saw many young boys and girls who were very talented - but didn't have a chance, due to the life circumstances they came from. The Mechina strengthened a few building blocks of her social activity path - to think of others, to volunteer and to be resilient.

 

Being a woman pilot at the IAF

@Alice Miller paved the way for women to serve as pilots in the israeli Air Force.

Back then, as an 18 years old girl - Shira wanted to prove that being a girl - she has the same skills and attributes for success just as the boys have. Over the years - she saw and felt first hand the gaps in the perception and reality - as women are a minority, there are logistical & operational gaps, soft skills gaps and there is a way to bridge those gaps. 

So how did she cope as a woman?

1. She had a lot of support from her family and friends
2. She asked herself - “What does it take to succeed?” And the answer was - “I need to be more like a man. Men don’t cry, men are very assertive” - she wanted to be one of the guys. 

The grown-up Shira, knows today that men are men, women are women, and instead of making us be like them as the rightful standard - both in the IDF and so does society - we need to enable women to be themselves, as long as we’re not compromising the end result.

 

Shira took a lot from her service as a helicopter pilot:

1. Her inner confidence which is rooted in her

Professionalism in everything she does

1. Accuracy - doing things all the way through and in the best way possible 
2. Debriefing - both the good & bad results 
3. Start with our strengths - the things we know we’re good at
4. Resilience and grit - Shira spent 8.5 years in the IAF

 

Out of her comfort zone

8.5 years of military service - and Shira had to choose whether to leave or stay. Leaving - meant letting go of her dream to be a commander, and moreover - she had no idea what she was leaving for. She had a lot of blindspots.

What helped her?

1. Going to therapy with a psychologist
2. Acknowledging her blind spots, something which some people who are driven by their ego don’t do, as they are blocked by their arrogance
3. Enabling herself not knowing and learning how to be humble about it
4. Shira has a metaphor she likes to use: I have a very strong right arm - now I have to strengthen my left arm

 

First step in strengthening her left arm - was going to learn sustainability at @Oxford. It was eye-opening. Everyone there was brilliant. Everyone had better English. Once again - Shira asked herself - “What do I need to do to be better than them?”

This ability to have a clear view on the situation, being able to reflect to ourselves on our deepest fears - is a virtue that shira has been caring for since her flight academy years.

 

She applied to McKinsey in London, but wasn't accepted. She came back to Israel.

She wanted to focus on sustainability - but understood she misses the economic angle. And the same question came to mind - “What do I need to do to be better at it?”

She went to @Milken Institute in Israel - to learn economics - but from a more mature perspective, where she knows she can’t know it all, yet she wants to be better. At this point, Shira emphasizes the risk of getting out of focus - when we're going too wide in our ‘not knowing' feeling, trying to grasp too much, instead of accepting the fact that we won’t know everything - and that’s totally OK.

Shira applied again - this time to @McKinsey Israel - again, strengthening her left arm.

She was there for 18 months and it was an amazing school for her.

 

The horrible disaster at Nahal Zafit happened, and Shira felt an urgent need to help. The stars aligned, her way to give back - Shira joined @Mechinat Bnei Zion as a CEO, to lead the organization, re-build the place, and bring methods from the IAF - all connected to her own experience as a younger woman at Mechinat Kanot.

But it was too early, too hurtful, and she understood she cannot bring her vision into these complex circumstances. As much as she wanted it to work - she could understand the pain of the others who didn't. With zero energy, she had to listen to herself. It's time to leave. Shira found out once again that she has the strength to make brave decisions.

 

Her picture on her phone - “be yourself” - was a clue to what will come next.

 

She then joined Vintage investment Partners - a $3b investment fund that invests in funds and companies. She needed to feel grounded, stable. Working in one of the largest funds in Israel - Shira makes investments in venture funds and companies, working with amazing people, focusing on health and sustainability. It’s a great school for her, and once again - she embraces her blind spots and sees it as a growth engine.

 

The “Be yourself” pic was vivid. Shira was single for 2 years, frustrated by her friends getting married and having children.

 

Then she met Shani.

 

She decided to listen to herself - and in a brave way - she shared it with her parents and friends.

Shira knew deep down inside her she was interested in women, since she was a young girl, but she didn't make room for those feelings. Being ‘part of the boys’ during flight academy, reaching the highest achievements - it was always convenient not to dive deeper with herself. Only when she hitted the lowest of lows - she found herself.

 

Shira and Shani are expecting a baby girl.

 

The mature Shira, who instructs future pilots and lectures to young entrepreneurs - focuses on the following, all are part of her own life journey:

1. Always believe in yourself - and have a vivid picture of how you can succeed
2. Debrief your actions - both good and bad results
3. Keep on your resilience in the path life takes you
4. Listen to your own voice and live according to it.

פרק 34 - עם פנחס בוכריס, משקיע

פנחס הוא אישיות בולטת במגזר הציבורי והמגזר הפרטי בישראל. הוא תא"ל (במיל.) ומסע חייו כולל בין היתר את הפיקוד על יחידת 8200, יחידה 81, מנכ"ל משרד הבטחון, קצין בסיירת מטכל והשתתפות במבצע אנטבה ב- 1976. בגזרה הציבורית - שותף מנהל ב- ,State of mind Ventures 1,2, שותף ב- Apax Partners, מנכ"ל בז"ן, דירקטור ב- Cymptom, Veego, Wizer, Perception point, ABS Shva Automatic Bank Services Ltd, Magal Security Systems Ltd ו- Discount Investment Corp Ltd בעבר. אדוויסורי בורד ב Cybereason. היום הוא ממשיך פעילות עסקית עצמאית בעולם הסטארטאפים. מתנדב ב"מעוז" ו"ילדים בסיכוי" וחבר נאמנים בטכניון. על פעילותו הענפה זכה בפרס ביטחון ישראל, הפרס הלאומי היוקרתי ביותר הניתן בישראל.

 

להאמין בעצמך עם 6 אחים ומנטורית אגדית אחת

פנחס נולד לחיים לא פשוטים, משפחה עם 7 ילדים וחיים שהם הישרדות אמיתית יומיומית. הוא היה הילד השלישי. הוא מתאר את אימו כגיבורה, כאשר בו זמנית חמישה מתוך שבעת הילדים היו בתפקידים ביחידות קרביות. אמו מימה, זכרונה לברכה, הלכה עם המוטו ש"מה שצריך לקרות יקרה" וזה שמר עליה רציונלית וחיובית.

עד כיתה ד', פנחס לא ידע קרוא וכתוב. הוא היה בחוץ כל הזמן. עד שהגיעה הדסה פלס ז"ל - אז מורה חיילת, ולא ויתרה לו. היא לימדה אותו את רזי השפה - אבל בעיקר, הוא הבין שלימים היא לימדה אותו אמונה פנימית מהי, חברות עצמתית מהי וכמה חשוב למצוא מישהו אחד שמאמין בך ומושיט לך יד לעזרה. נחמיה פלס בעלה, ודורון פלס - בנה, מלווים את פנחס כל חייו כמשפחה נוספת. הדסה חוזרת בסיפור חייו של פנחס בצמתים נוספים, ובגיל 65 - כשיודפת אשתו מארגנת לו מסיבת יומולדת - לא אחרת מאשר קרן פלס, נכדתה של הדסה ובתו של דורון - מגיעה כדי לשמח אותו ולסגור מעגל מרגש.

הדסה מלמדת את פנחס ש"הכל אפשרי", להאמין בעצמו ולקחת את עצמו בידיים, לזהות את העוצמות הפנימיות שבו - אומץ, נחישות ותעוזה, שילוו אותו בהרבה צמתים בחייו.

 

בית הגידול הצבאי

פנחס ואחיו הולכים לפנימיות צבאיות בתיכון והוא מתגייס לצבא לקורס טיס מס. 79. החלום היחיד שהיה לו בחיים - זה להיות טייס. אבל אחרי הצ'קים של הפייפרים - מאיינים לו את החלום, ומישהו, במקרה, אומר לו שהוא צריך ללכת לסיירת מטכ"ל. אז הוא מגיע לבקו"ם, מבקש מטכ"ל ומחכה. כש 3 מכ"ים אומרים לו לעשות שכיבות שמיכה ויוצאים מהחדר - פנחס אינו מפסיק, נחוש להמשיך כמה שיקח, ועד היום חושב שהנחישות שהפגין אז, סימנה את הדרך לבאות.

במטכ"ל היו מבצעים רבים וגם פה - כשרק "המעז מנצח" - הוא מבין כמה ערך העוז זהו משהו פנימי ששזור בתוכו. פנחס משתתף בשורת מבצעים מורכבים, חלקם ידועים מאד, חלקם לא - בין היתר מבצע אנטבה, חיסול אבו-ג'יהאד ונוספים. 

"מבצע אנטבה הופך להיות אתוס בחברה הישראלית - על כך שיצאו למבצע שהוא one-way, ללא דלק לחזור. הייתי החייל הכי צעיר. מבצע תחת אש, יושב בג'יפ השני, ההסתערות מתחילה לפני הזמן. בא לקפוץ מהג'יפ ורצועת המאג נתקעת. לא יכול להשתחרר. פחד. ואני אומר לעצמי - "בוכריס - קום רוץ". חובר לצוות וממשיך את המבצע. "הרגליים לא נושאות אותי ואני כמו על גולות. זה נשאר איתי לכל החיים."

פנחס מבין לאחר מכן שעשו היסטוריה. 

גם בחיסול אבו ג'יהאד  - הוא סגן מפקד היחידה. הוא מספר לחייליו שהוא פוחד - אבל החוכמה היא לצאת מהפחד. וגם המוטו הזה ימשיך איתו להמשך חייו - שהיכולת להתגבר - היא למעשה האומץ להתמודד עם הפחד עצמו.

 

היה לו חלום נוסף - ללמוד ב- MIT. אז הוא למד הנדסת מחשבים בטכניון הישראלי המכובד. לפעמים אפשר להגשים את מהות החלום בקונסטלציה דומה. 

ואז בוגי יעלון אמר לו ב- 89' לחזור לשנה לצבא - מה שנמשך לבסוף עד 2002.

 

הוא הגיע ליחידה 81 כמהנדס ושם בנה את יכולות הסייבר והפך למפקד היחידה. שם פגש מנטור נוסף - אמנון ליפקין-שחק ז"ל. ביחידה היו כשלים ניהוליים רבים, בתוך גוף שאמון על המצאת אמצעים טכניים. פנחס מצא את הדרך לגעת באנשים ולהפוך את היחידה לגוף מוביל ע"י כמה עקרונות שילוו אותו גם בהמשך:

1. לדבר עם האנשים בגובה העיניים שלהם
2. תחושת ביחד והזדהות - הוא היה בא לשבת עמם בלילות, עת עבדו על פרויקטים דחופים
3. לגבות את האנשים שלך
4. לצקת נהלים ברורים לעבודה והתנהלות

פנחס מספר איך ה- DNA של היחידה השתנה לתחושת גאווה משמעותית.

 

בתפקידו כרמ"ח המ"מ, הוא מבצע אינטגרציות בין היכולות המבצעיות - למדיניות - לטכנולוגיות. והרי באנלוגיה לחיי היזמות - זהו בדיוק תפקיד המנכ"ל שצריך לקבל החלטות לאחר אינטגרציה בין שלושת הזויות לעיל: COO - פיננסים ומשפטי- CTO.

 

פנחס מרחיב בהקשר זה על יכולתו לזהות יזמים ועל מערכת היחסים העדינה בין הקרן ליזמים: 

"מעבר לניתוח השוק והרעיון - היכולת להסתכל על צוות היזמים, מבנהו, האינטגרציה ביניהם, שפת הגוף - האם היא משדרת לכידות אמיתית או לא. בחלק מהסיטואציות, כמשקיע, אתה בעמדה של לשקף לצוות דברים שאינם עובדים כהלכה - כמו למשל, להציע להם להחליף תפקידים בין המנכ"ל לשותף השני. זוהי כמובן החלטה לא פשוטה כלל ועיקר, וכמובן שכל מקרה לגופו - אבל כשחברה מגיעה לקיר - היא מקבלת החלטות נכונות. בשיחה ארוכה בבית על יין וסושי - הצלחנו להגיע להסכמות".

 

קרן צריכה להיות זהירה ביחס שהיא מפעילה על הסטארטאפים. לפעמים גם צריך לדעת לוותר אם ישנה התנגדות - כי זה הבייבי שלהם. פנחס מקפיד לבוא ליזמים שלו למשרד, לפגוש אותם ואת העובדים ולשאול אותם "מה אתם צריכים?".

 

פנחס שוב רוצה להשתחרר מהצבא, וליפקין-שחק ממנה אותו להיות מפקד 8200.

פנחס פוגש שם אנשים מדהימים אבל הוא בקצה פירמידה. הוא אינו מרוצה מקבלת ההחלטות ומבין שהוא צריך לרדת לרצפת הייצור. עד שיום אחד נופל האסימון: משמעת ההצדעות, ה"הקשב", חדרי האוכל הנפרדים לקצינים - הוא מבין שחייבים לשנות זאת, לחדול מכך ולהכניס לשם תרבות אחרת. מיחידה פאסיבית - להפוך את 8200 ליחידה אקטיבית שתצוד מודיעין. הוא הולך אל חייליו למשרדים, למגרש הביתי שלהם, שם הוא יכול להקשיב להם והם מרגישים נוח. ב- 97-98' הוא מכניס את הסייבר לתוך היחידה, תקופה של הרבה הרוגים בלבנון, וזה משנה את התנהלות צה"ל בלבנון. גאוות היחידה עולה. הם פותחים בי"ס להכשרת סייבר - גנרטור להכשרת לוחמי סייבר התקפי. כל קורס שמתגייס - פנחס משוחח עימו ומעביר את המסרים הראויים. פנחס מוביל שינוי ארגוני וטכנולוגי והיחידה לומדת להתאים עצמה למציאות המשתנה. ישנה התנגדות חיצונית רבה למהלך הזה - אבל פנחס מפגין את אותה הנחישות המוכרת לו.

באירוע קידום מועמדים לקצונה בכירה - ניגשת אחת האמהות אל פנחס, ואומרת לו שיש משהו שאינו יודע.  היא מספרת לו שרון, אותו אל"מ שמועמד, היה חטוף באנטבה. רון הופך להיות הסגן שלו לשנה וחצי הבאות וזוהי סגירת מעגל משמעותית.

 

בית הגידול העסקי

פנחס משתחרר ב- 2002 עם הרגשה של חיבור לעוצמות פנימיות מטורפות. הוא מחליט לקחת לעצמו חצי שנה של להוריד… להוריד הילוך, להוריד את תחושת ההתעלות, לנרמל. פעמיים בשבוע בחוף באפולוניה.

ואז מגיעה Apax. עסקת הפרטת בזק. פנחס מנהל מו"מ של חצי שנה ושיחות אישיות עם ועד העובדים. ואז הוא מבין - שעבורם, זהו לא מקום העבודה, זה הבית, ומשם - מתנהל מו"מ אסטרטגי, מלא הקשבה ועימו מצליחים להגיע להסכמה.

 

ב2007 הוא מתמנה להיות מנכ"ל משרד הבטחון. הימים הם אחרי מלחמת לבנון השניה והוא מרגיש שאינו יכול להישאר מנגד.

אם בקבלת החלטות מורכבות עסקינן - פנחס מקבל 2 החלטות משמעותיות שמצביעות גם הן על הנחישות והתעוזה שמלווים אותו כחוט השני בחייו:

1. העברת צה"ל ועיר הבה"דים לנגב.
2. כיפת ברזל. היתה התנגדות מטורפת של הצבא, היו כאלו שדחפו את "נאוטילוס". ביחד עם אמיר פרץ, פנחס מתחיל את הפרויקט ברפאל ומנהל זאת כמו סטארטאפ. כל 4-6 שבועות דיון על ההתקדמות. תוך שנתיים - ניסויים ראשונים מוצלחים. זו היתה גאווה עצומה עבורו והרבה אנשים וארגונים מעולים שעזרו לו להוביל את המהלך הזה.

 

פנחס מתמנה למנכ"ל בז"ן, ואחרי שנתיים וחצי עוזב, בידיעה שלא למד מספיק את הרגולציות הנוגעות לאיכות הסביבה טרם כניסתו לתפקיד. ממרום שנותיו כמפקד ומנהל - הוא יודע לזהות מתי זה לא מדוייק עבורו ולהמשיך הלאה.

 

משם הוא מצטרף ל- SOMV כשותף מנהל ב- 2 קרנות ומוביל השקעות.

 

פנחס יודע שהממשק עם היזמים זורם בדמו, ושהוא מוצא את הדרך הנכונה להתחבר אליהם. הוא נפגש עמם לעזור להם לחשוב ולדייק את החוטים שימשכו אותם  ואת המיזמים שלהם עוד קצת למעלה - ממש כפי שהדסה פלס ואמנון ליפקין-שחק עשו עבורו.

 

"רק רציתי להיות טייס, כל השאר קרה כיד המקרה…".

ואני מוסיפה - שעם אמונה פנימית בוערת, ראיית הזדמנויות, נחישות, תעוזה והתמדה  - הכל אפשרי.

Episode 33 - with May Piamenta, Co-founder & CEO of Vee

How to find your place and keep up to your promise, as a 22-years-old woman founder? 

 

Imagine taking the bus from Dimona, dreaming about helping people and establishing your own startup at the age of 22. That’s May’s story. A Cinderella one - and it ain't no easy to keep up the high expectations when everyone is watching. 

 

May cut her hair and donated it when she was 13. That’s how early she understood that she’s gonna do things that not everyone will understand. 

In her youth - she joined @First - an organization that promotes tech, science and social entrepreneurship, shortly after that - she led the whole operation in Israel with more than 10 millions volunteers.

 

She opened her 1st business when she was a teenager - an e-commerce platform for bathing suits, and a 2nd business for website creation within 24 hours - just after the army service.

 

So beyond the impact @Vee brings into this world - May, as its co-founder and CEO, needs to hold it all together at a very young age, and miss important milestones of her likewise friends.

To do so, therapy and supporting surroundings is a must for her.

 

May shares how difficult it is sometimes to stand in front of investors or talents that don’t believe that you can make it, and that you've got what it takes. 

She speaks openly about her lack of managerial experience and decision making, how overwhelming it can be, and what she does in order to overcome those challenges. 

 

Not being ashamed and believing in yourself is a must, so that when investors want to replace her - she simply asks - WHY?

Having strong, experienced and supporting co-founders, makes it all much more possible. 

When she started - she didn't even speak English, and now - there are so many people that want her to win. All together - it’s not easy to live up to these expectations. 

 

As all CEOs understand early down the road - in the good times - everyone is with you, but in the hard times - you are on your own. And it’s a very lonely place to be in. May understands many life truths in a very early stage - for example, that it’s OK not to be OK. She’s afraid to fail all the people that put their trust in her - so she is keeping a very practical mode.

 

May’s family has been through a lot. It’s part of what makes her determined to succeed. Earlier this year, when she participated in a panel in the @Peres Center for Peace and Innovation - her parents and friends were in the audience - that’s where she felt her worlds merged together - family, friends & Vee. 

 

May has a very strong sense of people - or in her own words - “Moroccan sense” - to see people’s authentic intentions. It’s a very strong virtue that guides her in business. 

 

She also understands the power of being a young CEO - as you understand inside-out your target audience. 

 

May recently came back from the @WEACT delegation to @Silicon Valley, organized by @Darya Henning Shaked, and many more good things that we will hear about soon - are on the way.

 

So is it a Cinderella story? I don’t think there is a specific time-sensitive or financial milestone that will confirm or deny it - seeing May’s passion, commitment and efforts to succeed, grow Vee and bring value - is inspiring. She definitely has what it takes.

Episode 32 - with Ron Gura, Co-Founder & CEO of Empathy

Ron is a serial tech entrepreneur who has brought his love for developing empowering products to startups and major international corporations alike. 

Ron’s family is intertwined into his entrepreneurial journey in various ways; He speaks admiribily about his mom and how it all began with her, and shares about his brother @Eyal Gura - his life-long role model. Eyal’s character, wisdom & friendship are a strong foundation for Ron’s path.

He remembers in a very vivid way when Eyal closed his 1st startup. He then understood that as an entrepreneur - there are uncomfortable parts you just have to embrace and push through, take care of your people and move on. They crafted a beautiful dynamic between them, where each one's success is driving the other forward.

 

Selling the 1st startup to eBay

“The Gift Project” was a pretty smooth ride. Ron describes it as a “rare thing of luck & timing”. His biggest win - was an amazing team of talented and wonderful people - who are nowadays leading founders in the tech arena. He was led by naivety & curiosity, asking himself “who are the smartest people we can bring along?”. An acquisition after only 18 months - he describes the eBay experience as ‘finesse’. eBay was an amazing school - all the process, methods, learning from the inside how corporations work. Ron also remembers clearly how an interaction with his Marketing Director - put a spotlight on how important it is to manage the relationships with your colleagues and keep a transparent and open communication channel in order to avoid the slippery slope of relationships clash - and what a lesson it was about leadership.

 

EIR in a VC

Leaving eBay, Ron joined @Eden Shochat & @Michael Eizenberg at @Aleph VC, a $550M early-stage venture capital fund. It was a very meaningful and transformational year in his journey. He learned the VC processes inside-out, saw the Board interactions first hand, hung out with amazing startups, listened to them and helped build a community of promising founders and companies. “Different is better than better” - his listening muscle grew stronger, and his eyes got wide open. Those days were the days when some of the most successful founders in the startups scene met each other and kicked off their ventures - @shai Wininger & Daniel Shreiber from @Lemondae, @Eran Shier that later on started @Nexar and many more. 

 

From a startup to scale-up

WeWork was one of the companies Ron fell in love with those days at Aleph, when they still were a young startup. From few people to thousands of employees worldwide - Ron led the global R&D center of 250 team members, and was responsible for the tools and systems that helped the company scale operationally. Once again - he gathered around him an amazing team of talented people. Ron keeps his people close - his future co-founder at Empathy - Yan - worked with him in WeWork. They built an organization together. 

The decision to leave was hard but needed. The company changed its approach to more of a real estate company than leading the future of work, and Ron had to learn to let go. Many great people have left, and he did whatever he could to help them outside of WeWork. He felt first hand the ride of a rapidly growing startup.

 

Disrupting the way families navigate loss

Fear of death is something most of us experience, but loss doesn’t skip anyone. Death is untouched. Yan & Ron wanted to offer “the friend you wish you had when you lose a loved one”, as confronting death involves overwhelming emotional stress & grief together with logistics. That's what drove them to Empathy.

Talking about Empathy made Ron open up and share about his own personal loss of his beloved brother. Amir’s death was very present in his life. It raised lot’s of questions as a young boy that came back again later on in his life. 

He once again gathered a group of amazing and talented people who share his mission to offer empathy and comfort for people dealing with grief. I find it beautiful and touching when we build a company that helps us heal our very own wounds.

Episode 31 - with Irad Eichler, Co-Founder & CEO of Circles

The Power of Groups in Improving Startup Leaders’ Well-being. Remember - #strongpeopleshare

 

From living in the Kibbutz, surrounded by a circle of people, to a startup that creates circles of support for others - Irad is an extraordinary serial social & tech entrepreneur, named by the World Economic Forum’s “Social Entrepreneur of the Year”.

 

Irad’s mom coped with cancer for 7 years. He spent a lot of time with her during that period. But despite his help and efforts, his mom said that he couldn't understand what she’s going through, and she felt lonely. It was only when he overheard her speaking with a friend who is going through the same thing - she sounded happy as she finally felt understood.

When Irad coped with her loss - his siblings were the closest people to share it with.

It was then clear to him that people need to feel belonged.

Nowadays - loneliness is something that everyone is dealing with. Being part of a quality group of people, who share similar experiences - is the thing that fills the emptiness so many people are suffering from.

 

So what’s the story of groups?

 

Groups are all around us - in the family, with peers, through shared experiences (e.g - IDF units). Groups enable us to feel:

1. Belonging
2. Feeling normal
3. Helping others and by so - giving to others - which is something that makes us feel meaningful
4. Group symbolizes a micro-cosmos of life itself

 

Groups should enable a psychological safety and hence there are 3 main components               for a group:

1. Its members:

A well-structured group optimizes the group members & balanced dynamics. 

Few things that impact the group dynamic that you may never think about - 

• The surrounding environment has a lot of impact on the group’s dynamics (e.g - think what happens when you're in a board meeting, and there are 5 empty chairs; or when you’re in a product session - and a bird flies into the room… Imagine how the surroundings impact the people in the situation).
• Your own place in your origin family - whether you are the oldest/ youngest/ somewhere in between. The sibling dynamics have a lot of impact on the way you’ll behave within groups.

 

1. Facilitator:

A group can be moderated by a professional facilitator or by the members themselves. There's a difference between professional therapy groups and support groups. In therapy groups - it’s more about the personal progress each member is making. In a support group - it’s more about the reflections and progress the members are going through around a specific life event (similar also to FB groups or communities).

 

1. Setting:  

The way you structure the group - weekly session, F2F or via zoom etc. 

one should also take into consideration the privacy setting of a group (both physically and in-person or digitally).

 

Think of an early-stage startup as a group

 

When it grows - think of the various groups within the startup - leadership team, product group, marketing, finance, etc. Think of the support potential each startup has uniquely due to its specific characteristics, and use it as a growth engine. 

Co-founders, which are in fact a group, have basic fundamental needs - to be seen & heard. And as we all know - it’s not always coming to fruition. 

Irad shares the behind-the-scenes of his relationship with his co-founder - @Dan Landa, and how they have stopped listening to each other at one point.  How afraid he was of the 'snowball effect’, as problems don’t go away by themself. “It was all too much… We started to go to a couple’s therapy… We started talking again. I suddenly felt relieved”.

Irad describes how he uses the method of sharing in groups for the Circles Team - every weekly meeting is opened with a question followed by the answers of the whole Team - a practice that enables an open & warm atmosphere and builds the company’s culture in the right direction.

 

One of the techniques I teach the founders I work with - is the Brief Communication method (G.B.L) (do you remember the briefs from the advertisement agencies?), that helps keep effective communication channels, effective meetings, and get things moving. It should include the following:

1. Strict title - provide the framing and gain the attention of others
2. High level mission/ task - make them listen
3. Details & dead-lines - be clear, specific, transparent, direct, accurate, measurable
4. Reflection - make sure the other side really understands what you are asking from him, that’s the only way to maximize mutual results 

 

#Strongpeopleshare

People avoid sharing when something is wrong with them. It’s hard to share when this is “bad news”, cause it makes people feel like they are broken. But, we see it the other way around. Strong people share. Strong people talk about it. And strong people care. Strong people know that sharing is an act of strength not weakness. And people who share - are not broken and there’s nothing to be fixed. On the contrary - they want to improve and grow. Here’s a good tip - next time you are coping with something - share it with just 4 people. Most of the possible reactions will happen then. That’s it - you did it, and nothing happened. Maybe, just maybe, you will also feel comforted by those reactions, stronger, more positive and with an open heart for what comes next.

So remember this hashtag, and share.

 

Prior to Circles, Irad founded and still serves as a board member at @“Shekulo Tov” - an NGO with the mission of including people with disabilities in organizations and making them feel they belong. He won the UN award for this amazing activity.

Episode 30 - with Yotam Cohen, Co-founder & CEO of Daisy

@Yotam is a serial entrepreneur, the co-founder and CEO of @Daisy, and previously, he co-founded @Wibbitz as part of the @Zell entrepreneurship program where he still serves as a mentor. 

 

Yotam, in fact, has experienced the full package of a life-of-an-entrepreneur - and shares with us from a bird’s eye view, and deep dives - the roller coaster of a serial entrepreneur. 

 

100% trust, and always thinking what’s best for the company

He co-founded Wibbitz while he was a student at the IDC, as part of the Zell program. When reflecting back, on the beginning of the journey - he now sees how naive he was and with how much uncertainty he had to cope with. It’s a marathon composed of many small winns, expected to prove who you are at all times - “You’ve gotta show you can really do it”.  At the Zell program - they started as 4 founders, soon became 2. The expectations were high. 

 

When discussing how they have decided about their roles as CEO & COO - he answers that the key is 100% trust, and always thinking what’s best for the company.  Co-founders relations are like marriage, and one should always think about the other side’s needs. Both parties should invest in it, and give priority to the relationship.

 

The dynamics changes when opening a US site

 Most startups leave their R&D & product in Israel, and marketing & sales in the US. Opening the second site, when one co-founder stays in Israel and the other one relocates - makes things more complicated. The cultural differences appear and the communication gets less direct. Hence, it’s profoundly crucial to first implement a strong foundation and infrastructure, set expectations and keep the communication channels open and transparent all the time. Once again - trust & healthy communication are the key.

 

The company’s culture won’t develop on its own, and people have to practice how to work together as a team. First and foremost - culture is being built by leaders who lead by example.

Yotam reflects about the difference between founding his 1st startup to the 2nd one, and how nowadays, prior to launching Daisy, it was all based on common values and clear understanding of how they should operate. 

 

How do you leave your “child”?

Leaving your own startup is a difficult choice. It’s a tough and emotional decision that you don’t make overnight. Things have to be deeply missfit to do so, and in his case, after a lot of self-reflection, he felt he was not himself anymore. 

Yotam remembers clearly the silence when he was in the office with his 100 employees, sharing the news - so sad and so proud of what they’ve built together. 

 

People don’t leave because they are afraid to deal with difficult questions. “What will I do now?” For Yotam it was clear - although many offers were made - from joining VCs to joining other ventures - he knew he was born to be an entrepreneur, and he wishes to do it all from the beginning - 0-1, new industry, new experience. 

 

2nd time entrepreneur

Building your 2nd venture - you face the same problems and same challenges, but there is one big difference - you already have some more perspective; you know that if things are broken now, you will fix them later on. Or not. And move to the next feature. Being a second time entrepreneur - you feel more comfortable making decisions with only 60-70% assurance. You know that the key to success is in the iterative process, the fast learnings and the personal evolvement of the team. 

 

Confidence comes from within (or: It’s all about family)

Yotam shares the strong foundation and confidence he got from his family: a father - former pilot at the IAF who was injured and got back to flight; a strong leader mother; 1 brother - @Yiftach - entrepreneur & CEO of @Zedes; 1 brother @Elad - a rocket scientist; and a successful sister, @Maya -Head of Company at @Lemonade, together with his wife @Michal  that keep him and their 4 children all together. Yotam describes his family as the ‘safe zone’. 

Talking about his recent relocation, Yotam shares the challenges and how important it is to have a supportive spouse, understanding the sacrifice the family is making - side by side with the amazing experiences.

 

To conclude, Yotam conveys a strong message of being confident in who you are, believe in who you are, and find out who you are in every stage of your life.

Episode 29 - with Avi Yaron, GP at HealthYa

How to Heal Your Brain & Save Your Own Life as an Entrepreneur?                          

Part II in the brain series – this time, from the real-life angle.

 

When you’re pushed to the edge - you can fight harder than your usual boundaries

Avi thought he had it all at the age of 26. 2 startups, working non-stop. A smart guy. An Electrical Engineer. Till the day his life went upside down - and the Dr. told him he has a brain tumor. He had a motorcycle accident, and the CT scan revealed the tumor. Avi thought his life was over. The Dr. recommended an immediate surgery but Avi refused. He started to teach himself Medicine. Biology. Physics. He tried all kinds of alternative medicine and changed the course of his life. He did an MRI every 3 months - checking the status of the tumor. As he describes - “I knew how bad the situation was according to the level of shoutings of the radiologists”. He had to be extra optimistic and to have a huge belief that he would defeat it - or else he would die. 

 

There were 2 “Avis”: the one that was driven out of curiosity, with no fear, learning and trying everything out there, and the 2nd Avi, who was afraid for his life. 

He understood that the brain tumor was a symptom, hence, something deep had to change. 

 

He then found a neurosurgeon with a different approach - Dr. Patrick Kelly - and he was willing to put his life in his hands. Avi was part of the process. 

1st-2nd of May 1995, was his new birth. The surgery went well.

He came back to Israel, determined to change his life - eat healthy, live without stress. He was a living miracle. 

 

Drunk on life, a year and a half passes by, and an MRI shows that he has a residual tumor.  

 

Dr. Patrick Kelly explains that the tumor is so deep, that he needs a 3D camera device to treat it, but there isn’t any existing. He suggests that Avi will wait 5 years for someone to invent it... 

 

Avi broke all his savings, met with scientists all over the world and started to work on this development. Investors didn't want to invest in him, as he was a ticking bomb.

 

He then reached out to Dr. Hanoch Elran who performed the 4th surgery, which saved Avi’s life.

 

As a healthy person - Avi went back to the investors.

10 more years of R&D and development and living in the US - @VisionSense, Avis’ scientific deep tech company which developed minimally invasive surgery technology, was acquired by @Medtronic.  

 

Avi reflects on his journey, that when it comes to adults - the root cause is usually emotional - “We should listen to the whisper of the disease and not wait for the shout”.  

 

From innovator to investor

That’s what has led him to build Joy Ventures, with a very big vision of creating a new ecosystem to enhance resilience. He had to leave that dream, understanding that too many mistakes had been made and that this venture is not right for him anymore. That was another milestone in Avi’s entrepreneurial rollercoaster.

That gave Avi, again, another big life lesson, to begin a new journey. “We should always work on our dreams, maximize our days, and learn from our mistakes. We have 3 brains - the mind brain, the heart brain, the guts brain. They are all integrated in a neural connection. Decisions have to be aligned with all of them”.  

 

Avi and his new partners founded @HealthYa, nurturing revolutionary health-tech solutions, investing in life saving technologies and helping build the ventures.

 

Avi guides and mentors dozens of entrepreneurs, as he sees his duty in serving others and helping people who need him. When talking about risk management - first and foremost - if you don’t have a huge dream to be an entrepreneur - don’t do it. 

The Chinese people believe that one is always a bit deceased, hence, we need to fix and improve ourselves all the time. The mental flexibility is what matters - not to be led by ego, but by curiosity. To do things we never did before, go out of our comfort zone, and always ask ourselves - is what we’re doing now really meaningful?

פרק 28 - עם פרופ‘ אמיר עמדי, חוקר מוח, ראש מכון ברוך איבצ׳ר לחקר מוח, קוגניציה וטכנולוגיה באוניברסיטת רייכמן

אמיר הוא חוקר מוח מחלוצי המחקר הרב חושי, פיתח טכנולוגיות מוח ופירסם מעל 100 מאמרים מקוריים ופרקים בספרים שצוטטו מעל 10,000 פעמים והוצגו במקומות כמו New York Times, Washington Post, National Geographic. נבחר כאחד מ 100 אנשי חזון בפרויקט מורשת איינשטיין. בעל דוקטורט בחישוביות עצבית והדמיה ועמית המחקר האורח ב- NIH, כמו גם מדריך לנוירולוגיה בבית הספר לרפואה בהרווארד, ובנוסף  פרופ׳ מן המניין מהאוניברסיטה העברית. עומד בראש מכון ברוך איבצ׳ר לחקר מוח, קוגניציה וטכנולוגיה ובראש מרכז רות ומאיר רוזנטל להדמיה מוחית אנושית - שניהם באוניברסיטת רייכמן.

 

בשיחתנו, ניסינו להבין מעט יותר לעומק כיצד המוח שלנו עובד, ומה הקשר לחושים, ל Default System, לרגשות ואיך הכל סובב יזמות - בין אם בהקשר של פיתוח טכנולוגיות לחקר המוח, ובין אם בהקשר של השימוש בהבנת אופן פעילות המוח לכדי יצירת טכנולוגיות חדשות במגוון תחומים. זהו בדיוק החיבור העמוק עליו יושב הפודקאסט הזה - איך יזמים, טכנולוגיה ועסקים פועלים, וכמה הכל מתחיל ונגמר במוח.

 

רגע תזכורת - המוח נשען על פעילות חשמלית. המוח בנוי מנוירונים, שהכמות שלהם דומה לכמות הכוכבים בגלקסיית שביל החלב. השאלה עימה אנחנו מתמודדים היום - היא כיצד מאורגן המוח. אריסטו ואפלטון -דיברו על כך שהרגשות הם בלב. אלקמאון מקרוטון - דיבר על העיניים כמסילות המובילות את הקלט לחלקו האחורי של המוח האחראי על הראייה, והיפוקרטס - דיבר על כך שהרגשות מקורם במוח. 

 

התיאוריה הקלאסית מדברת על המוח כמחולק לאזורים התומכים בחושים השונים - האונה האוקסיפיטלית (אחורית) אחראית על הראייה; הטמפורלית (הצידית) - על השמיעה; הפריאטלית (הקודקודית) - מגע, חום, כאב; והפרונטלית (המצחית) - היא המנכ"לית, אחראית על התפקודים ברמה הגבוהה. זו התאוריה שנכחה שנים רבות לגביי מבנה ותפקוד המוח.

 

הגישה השניה, מדברת על כך שהמוח אינו מאורגן לפי חושים - אלא לפי משימות, והצורך בפתרון בעיה מסויימת. מחקרים מראים כי מוח שמעולם לא ראה או שמע - אפשר לעשות מעקף מסויים והמוח מסתגל תוך שעות. הפריצה הגדולה מתרחשת בכך, שבאמצעות כלים טכנולוגיים - ישנם כלים חדשים לחקור שאלות שקשה היה לחקור אותם אחרת.

באנלוגיה לעולם היזמות - בתחילת הדרך, יזמים חייבים לענות על התאוריה השניה; ישנה משימה או בעיה הניצבת לפתחם - ואז נשאלת השאלה אילו מיומנויות וכלים כל אחד מחברי הצוות יכול להביא לשולחן על מנת לפתור אתגר זה ולהמשיך הלאה. בשלבים מתקדמים יותר, כשהחברה והמומחיות כבר גדלה - ישנה חלוקה למחלקות, וכל תחום אחראי על פתרון בעיות באזור שלו. 

הדברים שאנו למדים מכך, היא על יכולת הcross vertical של המוח, לעבור בין מערכות חישה שונות; הדיסציפלינות השונות וכיצד הן משפיעות על המחקר והאלסטיות המחשבתית. סטארטאפים תכופות מנסים בטכנולוגיה שלהם "לחקות" מודלים מהטבע, וגם כאן, זוהי עדות לכמה ניתן ללמוד מאופן תפקוד המוח על האופן בו אנחנו מנהלים חברות.

 

מולטי טאסקינג

המוח אינו מסוגל לתפוס במודעות יותר מדבר אחד בכל פעם. כך בנויה המערכת. נשאלת השאלה - אז איך טייסים קולטים ככ" הרבה מידע בו זמנית? והתשובה - המוח עושה "טריק", והוא עושה קפיצות מהירות בין המודעויות השונות (chunking) בכל מילי שניה. אנשים היעילים במולטי טאסקינג - הם אלו שיכולים להחליף מצב מהר בין המודעויות השונות. 

כאשר יש לנו הפרעה (הודעת פוש/ טלפון/ משימה אחרת/ מישהו שמסיח את דעתנו) - המוח מאבד יעילות לאורך זמן. 

 

על רגשות, Default System ואומנות הקשב

התפיסה - באמצעות חמשת החושים

הפרוססינג - החוויות, הדימיון, רגשות, שיח פנימי, ייצוגים

הפלט - הפעולות המוטוריות 

חשוב לזכור, שכשאנחנו מרגישים שמחה/ דכאון/ כעס/ סטרס - זוהי למעשה פעילות חשמלית המתרחשת במוח.

ב 99% מהמוח אין גדילה של נוירונים חדשים. בהיפוקמפוס - ישנם מחקרים המראים גדילה של נוירונים חדשים ושל הקישוריות. הקישוריות, זהו אותו הפרוססינג והתהליכים השונים הקורים במוח בזמן העיבוד, המדברים על הקשרים, ייצוגים, רגשות. מחקרים רבים הקשורים לאודיו וראיה, הוכיחו כיצד אנשים שלא ראו מימיהם - באמצעות טכנולוגיה שעושה אבולוציה מהירה  והופכת את גלי הקול לתמונת תלת מימד, כך שהאזור מגיב לצליל ומאפשר ראייה. מכאן מגיעה ההבנה על הפלסטיות של המוח והקשר בין המערכות וגם הבסיס להתוויה של שינוי הרגלים לאחר כ21 ימים של התמדה בהרגל חדש.

אחת התגליות המשמעותיות, היא שבמוח קיימות 2 רשתות; האחת - מטפלת בעולם החיצוני. השניה - Default System - זוהי המערכת העוסקת בשיח הפנימי שלנו ובחשיבה על העבר והעתיד. כשאנחנו עסוקים בעולם החיצוני - הפעילות החשמלית של המערכת הזו יורדת, ובלילה, כשאנחנו שוכבים לישון - המערכת הזו נכנסת לפעולה. ואז, מגיעות כל המחשבות שמקשות עלינו לסגור את היום ולהירגע, ויש לכך מחיר גבוה. כמה מכם, היזמים, סוערים בסוף היום כשהכל רץ לנגד עיניכם ומטריד אתכם בחוסר שקט? פה, נכנסת לתמונה החשיבות שבאימון קשב - מדיטציה ומיינדפלונס משפיעים על המערכת הזו. אנחנו רוצים לאמן את הקשב כך שישפיע לטובתו, קרי, לתכנת מחדש את החושים ולהביא את הקשב למקום הנכון. מיינדפולנס ומדיטציה אלו הכם כלים מאד יעילים להרגעת מערכת ה default בקרב יזמים ועוזרת לייצר מיקוד סביב האתגרים הנדרשים.