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Ada Chen Rekhi

Lifelong learner of startup, business and career lessons. Founder. Writer. Exec Coach.

About Me

  • Executive coach helping founders & CEOs scale themselves alongside their teams
  • 2x entrepreneur: Notejoy, a fast and focused notes app for you and your team, and Connected (acquired by LinkedIn)
  • Marketing exec & advisor: former SVP Marketing @ SurveyMonkey, Growth Marketing & Subs Marketing at LinkedIn
  • Writing about marketing, entrepreneurship, and a meaningful life at AdaChen.com. Or find me on X at @adachen

Highlights

Jul 16 · linkedin

When a new hire hasn't been doing well in the first 30-60 days, do you ever see them turn it around and become a success?

I've been posing this question to leaders over the past couple weeks and the answer is unanimous: no, this doesn't happen.

It seems our optimism that someone can turn it around is largely unfounded. Often I see this leading to an extended effort to improve them and an eventual exit out of the business.

Therefore the question is what's more optimal. Do structured trials and probation programs work better? I know folks like Elena Verna have long advocated for advisor-to-FT hire recruiting, to assess mutual fit. Is the best practice to cut your losses and cycle through hires early and quickly?

Jul 11 · linkedin

Top five reasons why employee quit*, stack ranked:

  • Pay is too low (37%)
  • Felt disrespected at work (35%)
  • No opportunities for advancement (33%)
  • Because of child care issues (24%)
  • Not enough flexibility to put in hours (24%)

Only one of these factors is pay. It's rare that startups can compete head to head for talent when it comes to compensation, but I regularly meet extraordinary people in startupland because the culture is so energizing and differentiated. This is your reminder that there are a lot of ways for you to differentiate the work you offer.

*Source: Pew Research

Related Questions

What inspired Ada Chen Rekhi to transition from a career in marketing to executive coaching?
How has Ada Chen Rekhi's experience as a founder of Notejoy influenced her coaching style?
What are some key lessons Ada Chen Rekhi shares with her coaching clients?
How does Ada Chen Rekhi balance her roles as a coach, founder, and board member?
What makes Ada Chen Rekhi's approach to executive coaching unique?
Ada Chen Rekhi
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Experience

Executive Coach at Ada Chen Rekhi
Coach in Residence at 500 Global

Education

BS Economics, Operations and Information Management, Marketing, The Wharton School
BS Economics, University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School
Fellow, Leaders In Tech

Location

United States