Kelly Vaughn: How to Navigate Career Transitions and Build Meaningful Relationships

Links- Codecrafters (sponsor): https://tej.as/codecrafters- React Brussels: https://react.brussels- React Africa: https://react-africa.com- Kelly on X: https://x.com/kvlly- Spot AI: https://spot.ai- Tejas on X: https://x.com/tejaskumarSummaryKelly Vaughn, Director of Engineering at Spot AI, shares her unique career journey from self-taught coder to entrepreneur and now corporate leader. She discusses running a Shopify agency, co-founding a venture-backed startup, and transitioning to her current role. Key points include:- The challenges of running an agency and managing employee livelihoods- Insights on bootstrapping vs. venture funding for startups- The importance of genuine relationships and networking in career growth- Adapting to different company stages and cultures- Navigating the transition from entrepreneur to corporate employee- The value of diverse backgrounds in tech leadership rolesKelly emphasizes the importance of self-reflection, embracing change, and learning from failures throughout one's career journey.Chapters00:00:00 Intro00:05:08 Spot AI: Video Intelligence00:12:46 Dealing with Rapid Growth00:17:05 Getting into Tech00:22:25 TapRoom Consultancy/Shopify00:32:35 Running a Consultancy00:39:09 Venture Capital or no?00:40:08 Shutting Down Consultancy00:41:11 Attention, Effort, Mistakes as a Path to Growth00:47:26 The Pressure of Running a Business00:52:05 How to find a job: networking01:01:02 Being taken advantage of01:04:59 How Kelly got her audience01:08:31 Big audience problems01:12:01 Therapist and Engineering Leadership01:18:18 Boundaries01:26:06 Advice for Founders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.