Office Hours: "How do you build feedback into a startup — even very early stage?"

A student asked me this in class. Here’s the answer I gave — the honest one, with me as the cautionary tale.

The question, roughly as it came in: “In an early-stage environment, what are your recommendations for feedback and feedback structures?”

Quick Answer: feedback is one of the most crucial pieces of culture you have — and the leader is not exempt from it. Let me prove that with a story where I’m the idiot.