#155 CEO Yahoo, Jim Lanzone: Brand Rejuvenation

Guest: Jim Lanzone, CEO of Yahoo

Jim Lanzone doesn’t waste time thinking about what other people think of him ... or the companies he has run. After helping to rejuvenate Ask.com in the early 2000s, he has more recently served as CEO of Tinder, and now Yahoo. As an expert in brand turnarounds, he says, “don’t worry about what the world thinks ... worry about your growth versus yourself.” With a focus on people and product, Jim believes, “not only can you accomplish a lot, you’re going to make a lot of money at doing it.”

In this episode, Jim and Joubin discuss being bicoastal, downtown San Francisco, supportive partners, Garret Camp and StumbleUpon, “co-opetition,” Walt Mossberg, Redpoint Ventures, Dave Goldberg, Clicker, taking punches, Apollo Global Management, loyalty to the cause, high-EQ people, and user goals vs. company goals.

In this episode, we cover:

• Growing up in Silicon Valley (00:53)
• Long-lasting marriages (07:26)
• Jim’s first company, eTour (13:18)
• The Web 1.0 boom (17:33)
• Joining Ask.com & partnering with Google (20:40)
• Rejuvenating a brand (24:11)
• Back in the mud with Clicker (28:05)
• CBS All Access (34:02)
• 14 months at Tinder (37:25)
• What people get wrong about Jim (39:05)
• Becoming the CEO of Yahoo (42:45)
• How Jim hires great teams (49:54)
• Top priorities and Yahoo’s verticals (55:10)
• First principles & making decisions (01:02:26)
• Hiring & what “grit” means to Jim (01:05:02)

Links:

• Connect with Jim
  • LinkedIn
• Connect with Joubin
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
• Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
• This episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm