Leah Solivan is a General Partner at Fuel Capital, a venture capital firm. Prior to that, she was the founder, CEO and Executive Chair at TaskRabbit. Leah scaled the company to 44 cities and raised more than $50 million. In 2017, TaskRabbit was acquired by IKEA. We discuss her journey at TaskRabbit, with a special emphasis on her board experience. We address board composition, scaling, and CEO succession. We also talk about her transition to startup investing, and her thoughts about board service in public companies, and boardroom diversity generally. If you like this show, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing this podcast on social media. You can also contribute as a Patron on the link patreon.com/BoardroomGovernancePod or you can subscribe to the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at evanepstein.substack.com This podcast is sponsored by the American College of Governance Counsel.
(0:00) Intro.
(1:10) About the podcast sponsor: The American College of Governance Counsel.
(1:57) Start of interview.
(2:40) Leah's "origin story."
(3:41) Her time at IBM.
(4:48) Her founding story of TaskRabbit (Boston, 2008).
(12:43) The evolution of her board at TaskRabbit, and how to think about (startup) board composition and scaling.
(20:31) First CEO succession (after $12m Series B in 2012).
(25:10) Her return as CEO, raising a Series C, and adding 3 strategic independent directors.
(26:13) On hiring Stacy Brown-Philpot as COO, and successor to CEO role.
(30:45) Distinguishing between startup directors (management, investor, and independent directors).
(36:01) Transitioning to investing as a general partner at Fuel Capital. Motto: "We're on your corner, not in your kitchen"
(40:55) On the role of CEO coaches (vs board directors or advisors).
(42:44) About YPO. "It has been a hugely influential organization for me."
(45:21) Her thoughts on boardroom diversity. Reference to the LCDA.
(48:42) Innovation in the boardroom, risks and opportunities of AI.
(51:29) Books that have greatly influenced her life:
(51:51) Her mentors.
(52:25) Quotes that she thinks of often or lives her life by.
(52:50) An unusual habit or absurd thing that she loves.
(54:15) The living person she most admires.
Leah Solivan is a General Partner at Fuel Capital, a Silicon Valley-based seed stage venture capital firm. Prior to that, she was the founder, CEO and Executive Chair at TaskRabbit.
You can follow her on social media at:
Twitter: @labunleashed