Reboot Podcast Episode #69 – Effective Communication for a Growing Team – with Erin Frey & Ti Zhao

The Reboot podcast showcases the heart and soul, the wins and losses, the ups and downs of startup leadership. On the show, Entrepreneurs, CEO’s, and Startup Leaders discuss with Jerry Colonna the emotional and psychological challenges they face daily as leaders.

Episode 69 // October 6, 2017

Guests

Erin Frey

Erin Frey

CEO and Co-founder of Kip

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Ti Zhao

Ti Zhao

CTO and Co-founder of Kip

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Episode Description

Erin Frey and Ti Zhao, are the co-founders of Kip – an app which aids in locating a quality therapist and helps you measure your progress. In this episode, they sit down with Jerry to talk about what the issues they run into and the importance of effective communication for a growing team. More importantly, they talk about what makes them tick and how their ability to work together as leaders as it is one of the most important things they can focus on at this stage of their company. This includes emotional literacy and helping each other regulate when tough issues arise. What does your co-founder (or partner) do when they are scared, angry, sad, triggered? Do you know what they need in that moment?

Making time to discover the operating instructions for your partners solidifies not only your communication with each other, but it also solidifies your organization to defy the odds that 89% of startups fail. As Jerry notes, tending to good communication sets culture, direction, and creates the conditions in which raising capital is enhanced.

Ti Zhao on Twitter  |  Erin Frey on Twitter  |  Kip  | Murmation – Ali Schultz on Red-Yellow-Green  |  Reboot Podcast #16 – Mindful Partnerships – with Zelle Nelson & Maureen McCarthy

Show Highlights

Top Quotes:

“As the company grows and establishes itself, the ability to clearly communicate and stay in-sync as an organization gets undermined.” – Jerry Colonna

“When you get into communication with different skill sets and different personalities, it so easily clashes.” – Erin Frey

“At this stage of our company, communication and the ability for us to work together as leaders is the most important thing.” – Erin Frey

“The right thing to focus on is communications between co-founders for statistically relevant reasons. 89% of startups fail.” – Jerry Colonna

“The number-one reason for failure is running out of cash. The number-one reason for running out of cash is co-founder conflict.” –  Jerry Colonna

“The number-one way to mitigate co-founder conflict is exquisite, strong communication between co-founders.” – Jerry Colonna

“Strong communication between co-founders sets culture, direction, and creates the conditions in which raising capital is enhanced.” – Jerry Colonna

“Good, functional communication between partners is actually really rooted in trust, shared experiences, openness, and vulnerability.” – Jerry Colonna

“We sometimes will end up in these states simultaneously — where I’m frustrated and Erin is afraid. So we very much tap into how we would respond to ourselves.” – Ti Zhao

“When we’re distressed, which covers both fear and anger, we regress to our most basic response mechanisms.” – Jerry Colonna

“You don’t get just one bite at the apple. This is a lifelong journey you’re on.” – Jerry Colonna