The Core Values of a Successful Startup

What really makes a startup succeed? It’s not just product-market fit or clever tech—it’s the people and the culture they create together. In this talk, I’ll share lessons from my journey across three startups at different stages, through acquisitions, pivots, and cultural transformations.

I’ll explore the core values that I’ve seen make the biggest difference—not the ones painted on walls, but the ones that show up in code reviews, standups, hard conversations, and late-night problem solving. We’ll talk about:
• Authenticity over performance
• Love and empathy as engineering virtues
• Presence and trust in high-stakes uncertainty
• Balance, sustainability, and knowing when to push or pause
• Grit, growth, and intentionality—what it really takes to build something that lasts

This talk is for anyone who wants to build or be part of a values-driven team: engineers, tech leads, future founders, or just curious humans trying to build things that matter.