E265: What the Coach to Sequoia, A16Z and Benchmark Learned About Power and People

In this episode of the How I Invest podcast, Patrick Ewers, an executive coach, discusses the importance of relationships in achieving one's fullest potential, particularly for founders and venture capitalists. Ewers shares insights from his experience at LinkedIn and his coaching practice, MindMaven, emphasizing that successful individuals invariably rely on help from others and that investing in relationships is crucial, though often neglected due to the non-urgent nature of related tasks. He introduces practical strategies for managing relationships, such as delegating email follow-ups using dictation and AI to improve efficiency and thoughtfulness. Ewers also highlights the significance of creating a talent pool by identifying potential hires and maintaining contact, as well as prioritizing "white space time" for strategic thinking, advocating for a proactive mindset and leveraging executive assistants to protect this time.