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How Leaders Lead with David Novak

#129: Uri Levine, Co-founder of Waze – Don't be afraid to fail

How Leaders Lead with David Novak

David Novak Leadership

Entrepreneurship, Business, Management

4.8596 Ratings

🗓️ 6 April 2023

⏱️ 47 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today’s guest is Uri Levine, the co-founder of the navigation app Waze. Get this: Uri has built not ONE but TWO companies that have reached a valuation of one billion dollars without going public. That is some rarified air among entrepreneurs!  He’s passionate about using technology to solve real-world problems that actually make people’s lives better. And he knows exactly what it takes to do it!  But – as you’ll hear in this conversation – for all his success, Uri is not afraid to fail.  Because let's face it, in business, things don't always go according to plan. But if we can learn to see failure as a valuable experience and use it to our advantage, we can achieve amazing things. You’ll also learn: • A practical idea to help you build a better culture • The #1 reason entrepreneurs say their startup failed – and how to avoid it • The question you need to ask yourself 30 days after each new hire • Game-changing insights to help you find your product market fit • Three tips to manage your boss (or your board) Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go  Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to How Leaders Lead where every week you get to listen in while I interview some of the very best leaders in the world.

0:10.2

I break down the key learning so that by the end of the episode, you'll have something simple you can apply as you develop into a better leader.

0:17.7

That's what this podcast is all about.

0:20.4

Today's guest is Uri Levbein, the co-founder

0:23.2

of the Navigation App Ways. And I got to tell you, he is quite the entrepreneur. Get this,

0:30.3

he's built not one, but two companies that have reached a valuation of $1 billion without going

0:36.7

public.

0:39.6

Now, that's some rarefied error.

0:45.3

I mean, this guy is just passionate about using technology to solve real-world problems that actually make people's lives better.

0:48.0

And he knows exactly what it takes to do it.

0:51.1

But for all his success, what strikes me most about Erie is that he's just not afraid to

0:57.2

fail, because let's face it, in business, things don't always go according to plan. But if we can learn

1:04.1

to see failure as a valuable experience and then use it to our advantage, we can achieve amazing things.

1:11.9

So here's my conversation with my good friend and soon to be yours, Uri Levine.

1:22.9

You know, Erie, I understand you're a duocorn.

1:25.9

What the heck is a duocorn and how do you become one?

1:29.3

So, you know, I recently read that there are about 62 people that actually have built

1:36.1

two companies that are worth more than a billion dollars. And I'm happy to be one of those.

1:43.2

And by the way, I never rest, right? So there will be more of those. And by the way, I never rest, right?

1:45.1

So there will be more of that.

1:47.2

And this is absolutely amazing to belong to this category of people that have created so much value.

1:54.4

And for me, it's always about value creation.

...

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