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Nikhyl Singhal
Founder of Skip | Formerly Meta VP, Google Director, Credit Karma CPO | Two-time founder CEO
Nikhyl Singhal is a prominent figure in the tech industry with a diverse and impressive background.13 He is the founder of Skip Community, which includes "The Skip" podcast and newsletter, aimed at helping tech professionals advance their careers.12
Career Highlights
Nikhyl has held several high-profile positions throughout his career:
- Currently works at Facebook as a VP3
- Former Chief Product Officer at Credit Karma2
- Product Manager at Google, where he launched Hangouts and pivoted Google Photos2
- Founder and CEO of multiple startups, including SayNow (acquired by Google) and Cast Iron Systems (acquired by IBM)2
Educational Background
Nikhyl completed both his undergraduate and graduate studies in computer science at Stanford University.2
The Skip
Nikhyl founded The Skip to share his expertise and help others in the tech industry. This initiative includes:
- A podcast that offers career guidance for tech professionals1
- A newsletter focused on building impactful and joyful careers2
- Coaching for nearly 100 leaders in the tech industry3
Personal Life
Nikhyl resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his family, including his wife, two children, and two dogs.24
Nikhyl Singhal's LinkedIn profile can be found under the username nikhyl-singhal-9b3523, where he has over 500 connections.4
Highlights
🚀 You should be operating in founder-mode, even if you aren't a founder
The concept of "founder-mode" - where founders take control of their company, get into the details, and push aside pure managers - has been trending lately. Having worked in both founder-mode and manager-mode as a founder and executive, I wanted to dive deeper. In my latest Skip Podcast episode, I sat down with my good friend and product guru Shreyas Doshi, who advises dozens of CEOs, to unpack what this really means for founders, product leaders, and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Key takeaways:
💡 Founder-mode isn't just for founders. Managers can and should operate this way too. There are countless examples of non-founding executives who've excelled in their careers by working like founders.
🎯 To operate in founder-mode, exercise judgment on where to focus your attention and which decisions you're best positioned to make. Just moving decisions between your teams and leaders can marginalize your position and value. But the larger the company, the harder it is to achieve this.
🧠 Great judgment is crucial. While founders are uniquely qualified to be bold and understand which parts of the business can absorb change, it requires no judgment to make all decisions for the company.
📈 As companies grow, success in founder-mode means knowing what to delegate and what requires your unique attention. Once you identify these critical areas, it's not only okay but required to be in the details, gathering context and making key decisions.
Listen to the full episode for more insights on how to effectively operate in founder-mode, regardless of your title.
https://lnkd.in/gAdgtm3x
#FounderMode #ProductLeadership #CareerAdvice #SkipPodcast
🌟 The Power of Talent in Your Career Trajectory
Quick exercise: Where would your colleagues work if not at your company? What about your managers and executives? The answer reveals more about your career trajectory than you might think.
Here's why it matters: 1️⃣ We become like those we surround ourselves with. Elite talent elevates everyone. 2️⃣ Even if your company struggles, high-caliber colleagues still supercharge your career. 3️⃣ Learning from top talent gives you a playbook for future success. 4️⃣ Strong connections with talented peers can lead to opportunities, even if your current company falters.
In my latest podcast, I dive into four traits of career-accelerating companies. Talent quality tops the list.
🎧 Discover all four traits: https://lnkd.in/gxd_nTFw
Surprisingly, many overlook this crucial factor, fixating instead on compensation, growth, or brand prestige. While these matter, they're volatile. A weak talent pool, however, turns company success into luck rather than skill - and your learnings become liabilities.
The takeaway? Assess your environment:
✅ High-caliber talent? Rest easy. They'll propel you forward, company struggles or not. ⚠️ Mediocre talent? Beware. Extended exposure is a career time bomb.
Remember: In your dozen-plus career roles, each should set you up for the next. Make sure you're in an environment that's constantly leveling you up.
