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Episode SummaryIn this conversation, Phil Carter shares his journey from a Midwestern upbringing to becoming a successful product leader in the tech industry. He discusses the importance of family values, the challenges of work-life balance, and the impact of paternity leave on his relationship with his children. Phil reflects on his career shifts, the lessons learned from each chapter, and the decision to start his own consulting business for greater flexibility and autonomy.

In this conversation, Phil Carter discusses the challenges of modern work culture, particularly in the tech industry, where constant connectivity and high expectations can lead to burnout. He emphasizes the importance of finding balance in life through routines, personal anchors, and prioritizing family and community. Phil also highlights the significance of self-awareness in navigating the pressures of societal expectations and the rat race, advocating for a focus on internal fulfillment rather than external validation. He concludes by sharing his wife's nonprofit, Daring Girls, which empowers young women in East Africa. Support Daring Girls: https://daringgirls.org/About PhilAfter starting his career at Bain and getting his MBA from Stanford GSB, Phil Carter has spent the last decade as a VC and product leader helping companies like Faire, Quizlet, and Ibotta build world-class products and accelerate their growth. Phil is now a growth advisor and angel investor who helps Seed - Series C consumer subscription businesses define their growth strategies, build their growth models, hire their growth teams, scale their growth processes, optimize their growth channels, and achieve their full potential. Phil also teaches a Maven course on Consumer Subscription Growth and has a Substack newsletter where he shares additional thoughts.Connect to Phil:Website: https://www.philgcarter.com/Maven Course: https://maven.com/philcarter/consumer-subscription-growthLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philgcarter/Substack: https://philgcarter.substack.com/X: https://x.com/philgcarterChapters00:00 Intro to the EpisodeChapters

03:20 Introduction to Phil Carter

06:12 Growing Up in the Midwest

08:30 Family Values and Childhood Memories

09:59 Navigating Work-Life Balance

12:21 Career Shifts and Professional Growth

16:54 The Impact of Paternity Leave

22:44 Starting a New Chapter: Entrepreneurship

24:48 The Pressure of Constant Connectivity

27:11 The Dynamics of Tech Culture

30:22 Navigating the Rat Race

32:49 Finding Balance in Life

35:41 Anchors of Stability

39:03 Production vs. Production Capacity

42:50 Empowering Young Women through Daring Girls

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Be part of the movement—support the show on Patreon! ⁠https://patreon.com/aliesi⁠

Episode Summary

In this conversation, Grandmaster Elshan Maradi Abadi shares his journey from being a young chess enthusiast in Iran to becoming a Grandmaster and immigrating to the United States. He discusses the challenges he faced, including the pain of losing, anxiety, and the pressure of high expectations. Elshan emphasizes the importance of mental health, personal growth, and the lessons learned from his experiences. He also highlights his passion for coaching the next generation of chess players and the significance of sharing one's struggles to help others.About GM ElshanElshan Moradiabadi is an Iranian-American Grandmaster known for his dynamic playing style and profound contributions to chess as a mentor and educator. With a career spanning over three decades, Elshan has consistently demonstrated his prowess as a well-rounded chess player by obtaining a B.Sc in chemical engineering from Sharif University and two master's degrees in the US. Elshan's chess career includes appearances in the Chess Olympiad and notable achievements in the U.S. chess scene. His expertise extends beyond the chessboard, as he is a prolific coach and mentor, inspiring students worldwide through his insightful teachings and strategic approaches. Elshan has coauthored two chess books and numerous educational articles and continuously seeks to improve his training method.Connect to Elshan on: https://gmelshan.com Elshan's 50 Push-ups CampaignElshan invites you to do 50 push-ups per day for 30 days. Use this link to join his campaign: https://forms.gle/fMmNe6awCzRBJwb48

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