I believe that surrounding yourself with great people and delegating responsibilities is crucial, but you must also maintain control to protect the company culture.

When you're in control of your startup's direction, it alleviates the stress of relying on external funding, allowing for a more stable and confident approach to growth.

Learning to hire and manage effectively became crucial as I transitioned from building a product to building a company that creates products.

The most important lesson I've learned is that it's really hard to decide to start a company before you understand what you want to do.

I learned that during strategic inflection points, it's crucial to commit fully to a single direction rather than trying to maintain multiple options.

Experiencing bad companies can provide valuable lessons on what not to do in your own startup.

Control is the most critical term in any deal; I would prioritize control over valuation because it allows you to steer the company in the direction you want.

Determination is crucial when starting a company, as many things will go wrong, and the key is to learn quickly from mistakes and not give up; the biggest mistake is letting a mistake moralize you, as nothing is impossible if you keep pushing forward.

As a CEO, it's vital to see your company through the eyes of your employees and partners, as this perspective can guide better decision-making.