What Founders Get Wrong About Scaling – With Carta’s CEO

Henry Ward, cofounder and CEO of Carta, has spent over a decade scaling his company from an early-stage startup to a 2,000-person industry leader. In this a16z Speedrun conversation with Games partner Josh Lu, Henry shares hard-earned lessons on:Hiring missionaries vs. mercenaries — and how to keep company culture intact as you scaleThe reality of product-market fit and why many founders try to sell too soonThe evolution of a CEO — from building a product to building a system around youInputs vs. outputs, and why companies should focus on the right leading indicatorsTransparency in leadership, including when (and when not) to share This episode is packed with candid insights and lessons on company building. Recorded live at the a16z Speedrun program, you can learn more at a16z.com/games/speedrun.   Resources:  Find Henry on X: https://x.com/henrysward Find Josh on X: https://x.com/JoshLu   Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.