In this episode of HR Heretics, Kelli and Nolan sit down with Dave Margulius discussing Quizlet's remarkable 18-year journey from a bootstrapped startup founded with teenage co-founders to a globally successful education platform, sharing insights on building company culture, managing young talent, transitioning from founder to board member, and maintaining mission-driven values while achieving sustainable growth.

*Email us your questions or topics for Kelli & Nolan: hrheretics@turpentine.co

For coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/

HR Heretics is a podcast from Turpentine.

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KEEP UP WITH DAVE, NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDIN

Dave: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davemargulius

Nolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/

Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/

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Quizlet: https://quizlet.com/

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(02:00) The $5 Trillion Education Opportunity

(04:06) Meeting Andrew - The 17-Year-Old Co-Founder

(06:04) CEO Transitions and Early Career

(09:11) Sponsors: Planful | Metaview

(12:10) Building a Teenage Team

(16:03) Managing Young Talent and Pure Adrenaline

(19:17) The Shift to VC Funding

(22:15) Company Culture and Values

(26:19) Mission vs ROI Balance

(29:05) 18-Year Journey and Staying Competitive

(32:01) Employee Value Proposition and Liquidity

(35:00) Competition and Market Position

(36:06) Closing Thoughts

(37:27) Wrap

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

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Dave Margulius: "Starting a Company Without VC Money is Like Starting a Religion"