Taro Fukuyama is Founder & CEO @ AnyPerk. Born and raised in Tokyo, Taro is a Y Combinator graduate with AnyPerk and part of the first Japanese team ever to be admitted to YC. He was also named one of Business Insider’s “Silicon Valley 100 Coolest People in Tech Right Now.”Fun fact, Taro co-founded AnyPerk in a Taco Bell car park! What a story! They also have investment from the likes of DCM, YC, Gary Vaynerchuk, previous SaaStr guest Nick Mehta and many more incredible people. I would also like to say a huge thanks to Jason lemkin for the intro to Taro today.
In Today’s Episode You Will Learn:
How did Taro make his way to San Francisco and come to found AnyPerk?
As a first time founder, how did Taro look to build out the management team? What were the inherent challenges and what did Taro look for in his core executive?
What are the 6 questions that will determine whether you have clarity in your organisation? Why is clarity so important to unify the team? What does this clarity allow?
What are the 5 steps to building a cohesive team? How can CEOs be both vulnerable and authoritative as a leader?
How should founders approach offsites? What is the necessary preparation? How should they be structured for optimal productivity? What can be done to ensure they produce meaningful outcomes?
60 Second SaaStr
Favourite SaaS reading material?
What does Taro know now that he wishes he had known at the beginning?
The biggest mistake companies make with employee happiness?
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SaaStr 071: 5 Steps To Building A Cohesive Team & How Founders Should Structure Off-Sites with Taro Fukuyama, Founder & CEO @ AnyPerk