Cali Harris 🐊

cartographer of character. dig heart-grit & belly laughs. social scientist. obsessed with motorcycles, leadership & startup ecosystems ✨

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

@jonnym1ller Congrats, & thank you for this important work you're leading folks into!

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

@jonnym1ller This is sooooo super interesting 👀

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

@jonnym1ller yes, for sure! 🙋‍♀️

[Liz Giorgi @lizgiorgi]

So I'm a: @techstars Boulder alumni, a Techstars LP, and I've "given first" to Techstars by doing 17 free speaking engagements for the programs since graduating in 2019.

I have a few things to say about the announcement. Buckle in.

1. Any leader undergoing the experience of Change Management 101 understands that you don't ask the people impacted by the change to do the communication and be the main point of contact for that change. The fact that senior leadership didn't communicate with alumni, but sent an army of MD's to go out and communicate this massive change is just a literal abdication of leadership.

2. If you are leaving the city that built you - you do that with care. And you take it seriously. If Ford was exiting Detroit, they wouldn't send the factory manager to do the announcement.

3. I've exited a market before (sorry, Seattle) and I know that it's not easy to make those calls. But the thing you don't do is call it "bittersweet." It's just bitter for those that are most closely impacted in the community.

4. If you are closing locations, be explicit what is closing and be explicit what is staying open.

5. Great leaders own their decisions with ALL stakeholders. Not just investors. It's shocking to me that alumni haven't heard from leadership directly, but investors did. (I got both comms.)

6. There is literally nothing dorkier on earth than calling something "2.0" in 2024. The fact that this was the best they could do and then they expect to compete in the largest markets in the world is fucking ridiculous.

Am I disappointed, sure. But am I mostly surprised by how poorly this was handled? That's the one.

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

@yoavlurie Hi

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

@johnfein 😆

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

A lot of people with a lot of opinions about the Techstars stuff who were never near, much less in, the belly of the beast. 🥴

Anyway, I suppose this is a reminder of why sticking to cores values -- and your customer -- matters.

[☔🔥☔ @kirbywinfield]

if you're currently stunned about the techstars news, this (by the og who buit ts seattle, @crashdev) is the best read you will find on what went wrong: https://t.co/2v3KUiHlxz

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

@IanSanders Ahhh this looks so great, Ian! That space is cozy.

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

@heyalexfriedman I am so grateful that you share about her, and about your friendship. 💕

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

@erifilii Yes please!

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

@IanSanders Thank you for sharing this, Ian!

[IanSanders @IanSanders]

What happens when we shift our mindset from thinking about 'our career' to 'our life's work?'

This was a question my friend @caligater posed recently. And it really struck me.

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

@davidstehle Howdy! And yes to F those gnarly impostor thoughts.

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

I feel goofy posting here b/c I've posted so irregularly... but, I have something:

The Founder's Field Guide to Impostor Syndrome is a free & actionable guide for overcoming self-doubt & building resilience. 🗺️

Free, no sales, just the goods: https://t.co/SceyXiQJfS

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

#AnuragMaloo, an Indian mountain climber, went missing while descending from Mt. Annapoorna on 17th April. @DrSJaishankar please direct immediate action to search for and rescue Anurag. #BringAnuragBack at the earliest.

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

@savvysarahjane SJ 🥺🥺🥺 I appreciate you ♾️
I literally wouldn’t be who and where I am today with out your friendship and sisterhood. Thank you, sweet friend. (Also being in the same breath as the amazing @RebootHQ folks is dizzying ⚡️(

[Cali Harris 🐊 @caligater]

@pennerj @Christina_Lynn [phone]♾