In this episode, The Leading Women in Tech Podcast host Toni Collis sits down with Enjoy The Work Managing Partner, Leslie Fine, to dive into the transition from founder to CEO. Leslie shares hard-earned lessons from her own journey—starting in academia and stepping into startup leadership—and breaks down the essential skills every aspiring CEO needs.
From mastering the rhythm of a startup to navigating fundraising and leadership challenges, this episode is full of practical insights for women in tech ready to take the leap into leadership.
“Every CEO was a first-time CEO once. Leadership is a craft. It’s a learnable skill. People talk about leadership like it’s some mystical quality that you either have or you don’t, but it’s something you can learn and improve.” – Leslie Fine
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- The key differences between being a founder and being a CEO—and why mastering both matters
- The three pillars of leadership every startup CEO needs to build
- How to set clear goals and lead with accountability
- Why understanding the rhythm of a startup is key to scaling successfully
- The five major phases of a startup—and how to lead effectively at each stage
- How to decide if venture capital is right for your business
- The three core jobs of a CEO that shape long-term success