Introducing Blueprint

Issue #001

June 27, 2023

Hello there, it's Kasra, your Blueprint editor and part of the Coho team. It's great to have you here in our community of ambitious professionals!

Let's get straight to this month's focus...

This issue, we're diving into a topic that affects us all, leadership.

We'll explore leadership's multifaceted nature with insights from leaders across multiple industries, at various stages in their career. As we dove deeper into the subject, we discovered that leadership isn't restricted to official job titles. Instead, it is largely about an individual's mindset, their readiness to take the lead regardless of their authority level, and the broader company culture.

Broadly speaking, leadership involves guiding actions that encourage team alignment, strategy execution, and continuous organization renewal.

Here's the deal: leadership isn't static.

It is as unique as the environments in which it operates and the individuals it guides. In a crisis, for instance, it requires swift decision-making and resilience. In a stable environment, it might focus more on innovation and long-term growth. Each environment uniquely tests our empathy, ambition, and communication skills.

These nuances are what we chose to focus on with our contributors—every person sharing a leadership story within their respective writing.

Whether an emerging leader, experienced manager, or individual contributor, this issue offers you something.

Let's jump in!

My First Year as a Chief of Staff by Gillian O'Brien

Over the course of this first year, I was able to close more than 100 customers. I hired, trained, and managed a team of 22 contractors. I wrote blogs and launched mini products, 4Xing website traffic. I onboarded and trained several FTEs, ran 200+ interviews, designed interview loops, and ran reference checks. I launched and redesigned pages on our website, helped establish our company values, and so much more.

Before joining, I tried to read what I could about Chiefs of Staff at tech companies. Ultimately, I had no playbook and was nervous/hopeful that I would do a good job. I had to take it a day at a time, and just figure it out along the way.

Though I know the experience will be different for everyone, here’s my contribution for anyone interested in what a CoS does at a seed/Series A startup, and how my role evolved over time.

I mentioned early on that I did not have a playbook for being a CoS at a seed stage co. So here are a few of the things I did that I think made the difference for me...

Career-Wide

  • Thoughts on Strategic Decision Making by Mindaugas Petrutis - Analysis of a Coho fireside chat that touches on the difference between consequential vs. inconsequential decisions, the power of questions, building a knowledge infrastructure, and more.

Marketing

  • Trends Shaping the Future of User Experience in SaaS by Sushree Swagatika - From the rise of AI-powered chatbots to the growing importance of personalized onboarding experiences, this article offers insights into how UX in SaaS is evolving and what users can expect in the near future.

Biz Dev & Sales

Data Science / Engineering

Design

  • How Coho Leveled Me Up as a Design Leader by Gordon Ching - Learn from Gordon Ching's personal story of transformation from marketing professional to design lead, and how Coho Design Fellowship helped him break the ceiling.

Chief of Staff

  • The Chief of Staff Guide to Delivering KPIs by Abhinav Kejriwal - A thought-provoking dive into the strategic, operational, and cultural aspects of delivering KPIs, packed with practical tips and best practices for chief of staff professionals to become indispensable drivers of organizational success.

Podcast

  • Technically Speaking - with Harrison Wheeler is a podcast about the human experience and all things design, entrepreneurship, and technology.

Frameworks

  • Progression.fyi- A collection of open source and public progression frameworks and career ladders

Tools

  • Tasko.ai - Browse 100+ actionable and readymade ChatGPT AI prompt ideas to help you stay organized.

Becoming the Coho CEO, Non Linear Career Paths And What To Expect by Mindaugas Petrutis

On August 3rd, 2022, around 10 am, I landed back in Lisbon after spending a week in San Francisco. I usually don’t sleep on planes, so after a quick nap, I returned to work, shutting off my laptop at 4 am. There was a lot to prepare for.

The next morning, it was officially announced that I was becoming the CEO of Coho. That day also happened to be my 40th birthday.

Safe to say, my journey to becoming the CEO of Coho has been quite a rollercoaster, full of unexpected twists and turns. I started my career working in hospitality, dreaming of opening my own restaurant someday. Then, I fell in love with design while working in recruitment. Now, I am leading a company that builds communities for professionals, and I couldn't be more excited and terrified.

In light of the fluctuating professional landscape, we're enhancing our commitment to be more accessible for professionals everywhere.

We've implemented a 50% discount on all fellowships, underscoring our mission to help you confidently navigating your career journey and overcoming its inherent challenges

I hope you enjoyed the articles and insights from this issue of Blueprint.

If there's anything you'd like to share or discuss, just hit reply. I read every email :)

Kasra Khalili - Editor, Blueprint

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