Most Important Skills For A CEO Co-Founder At Boring Stuff
Varun, CEO/Co-Founder at Boring Stuff, highlights the importance of being willing to "get in the mud" and handle the tedious details of the work, such as bookkeeping, while also emphasizing a constant dedication to learning, adapting to new technologies and trends, and accepting that "you don't know everything". A person who can adopt these habits is much more likely to succeed not just in Varun's field, but generally in business.
Entrepreneurship, Continuous Learning, Attention to Detail, Adaptability, Financial Acumen
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Varun Bhuchar
CEO/Co-Founder
Boring Stuff
Dartmouth
UCLA Anderson: MBA
Film, Media Arts, Visual Arts, Political Science, American Studies
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Consulting
Honors Student, Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Willingness to handle the nitty-gritty details: A CEO/Co-Founder needs to be willing to get into the details and minutiae of the business, such as bookkeeping, which can be tedious but is crucial for accuracy and avoiding mistakes that could affect clients.
2. Continuous learning: The ability to learn constantly about new technologies and trends is essential, as is accepting that you don't know everything. This is crucial not only for this field but also for running any business.
3. Adaptability and openness to change: Being willing to change and adapt with the times is necessary for staying relevant and progressing in a rapidly evolving world. The willingness to learn and adapt is a life-long pursuit.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
I would say two things. First and foremost, you have to be willing to get in the mud. A lot of people are not willing to do the nitty-gritty minutiae of what this work entails.
I know how to do bookkeeping, and it can be very tedious, especially because it varies from client to client. You also have to know what the accounts are. For the US, there are very small things that, if you mess up, could vastly affect your client's books. You have to absolutely know what those are.
The second thing is being willing to learn. You have to be willing to learn everything that is going on out there: all the new technologies, all the new content creators. You basically have to be learning 24/7.
You also have to be willing to accept that you don't know everything. If you can't do that, then this is not the right field for you. In general, if you're trying to run your own business, I think it's good advice for anyone.
If you say you have nothing left to learn, then there's nothing left to teach you as well. The world always progresses, and that's never going to stop. You have to be willing to change and adapt to the times.