“Many things have to go right for a startup to be successful. I was lucky to join NLI at a time when there were many separate challenges facing my company. The most significant and applicable takeaway has been the ability to identify key stakeholders and develop individual strategies of success for each.

This has dramatically changed how I interact with individuals on my team. Being a technology company, we are comprised of a very cross-functional group of people — designers, sales/marketing, and engineers. What NLI has taught me is to be mindful of the individual tendencies and differences of each team member. It has helped me realize that what works best when addressing our CMO is not going to work best when talking with the CTO. (Common sense, I know…but sometimes it’s not so common.)

It’s provided me with a stronger awareness when interacting with people which has led me to be a more adaptive and effective leader. This mindfulness and adaptability has been incredibly helpful when addressing other key stakeholders involved with the company as well — such as investors and customers.

While the road ahead is still long, this understanding of human nature and interaction will undoubtedly pay dividends as we move forward.”