Don't try to draw a straight line in your career; instead, find the rocket ship that matters to you.

Join a startup that is already a 'rocket ship'—a company that is gaining traction and success—because the best talent is drawn to ventures that are already proving to be successful. Good people will wait to join a startup until they see it's on a breakout trajectory.

In the early days of a startup, don't get caught up in titles. Focus on getting things done rather than worrying about who holds which title, as there's too much work to specialize too early.

At Google, I learned that you should focus on launching something today rather than getting bogged down in detailed designs.

Hiring should prioritize passion for the mission and the ability to connect with the company's goals over traditional qualifications.

Working at a big tech company like Google can instill a mindset focused on scalability, which may not be helpful in the early stages of a startup where doing things that don't scale is often necessary.

Having a goal-oriented mindset can make the journey feel like an obstacle; I enjoyed my time at Google because I loved building things, not because I was forced to work harder.

From a financial perspective, working at a company like Google is often safer than starting a business, but it may not lead to personal fulfillment for everyone.

Investors often say they want to see a job offer from Google or Apple before making a commitment, but this is usually just a way to say no without being direct.