Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief with Cameron Herold
00:39:14 · Gaurav Agarwal
[00:39:14] S0: I'll take bigger risks. This is interesting. At that point, I was actually working on a startup idea that I had very good traction. But then because I had this amazing opportunity to go to Singapore and being paid a fair amount of money, I said, let me go do that. But in hindsight, I wish I had surrounded myself with mentors and other people who would tell me that. And I also come from a very middle class background. Right? So that allure for fixed money was way better than that startup risk. But I wish someone would have told me that what you have at hand is really good, and here, take a small check. So I I grew up in an ecosystem where the startup community wasn't as robust as it is right now. So I wish if I could do that again, would certainly take on that bet and take on that risk because the amount of learning I would have had is so huge. So I was I was in Singapore, then I moved to Tokyo, and I'll see a lot of similar startups come out and raise money and do really well. And I was like, shit. I should have just done that. So I was bitter for a couple of years. Hindsight, if I would not have gone to Singapore, I would not have been here because everything that I used to run my business, I learned portfolio theory, data driven decision making, how do you react quickly to things. There's a lot of things that I do right now, leverage, that I I I didn't just learn them, I experienced them in my job. So I think two things. Take more risks. But you know what? If you don't, like, let the dots connect. Dots will always connect. You need to... But at each point, try your best. Like, for each opportunity that has been given to you, this may not be the opportunity you wanted. My first mentor in Singapore, he said, and he was a banker, of course, like he was an MD, trading the entire emerging markets desk. And he said, my first job was a toilet cleaner as a kid. But I was the best toilet cleaner there was. Take more risks, but then if you're stuck in a situation, if you're not happy, change it, but make the most out of the situation you have been given because that's how you create future opportunity.
00:41:12 · Cameron Herold, S1
[00:41:12] S2: Yeah. That's that's advice that I'm giving both of my kids right now is whatever you're in, try your best at that. And then when you're ready, go to the next thing and try your best at that. Gaurav Agarwal, COO of ClickUp. Thank you so much for sharing with us today on the Second in Command podcast. [00:41:27] S1: You've been listening to Second in Command brought to you by COO Alliance founder Cameron Herold. If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to like, share, and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast streaming platforms. For more best practices from industry leading COOs, visit cooalliance.com.