Grammarly Internal Conference with Executives 2023-08-01

Grammarly Internal Conference with Executives 230801

Introduction

Grammarly recently held an Internal Conference for interns featuring our CEO and CPO. Both talked about their career paths, shared what they had learned, and gave their outlook for Grammarly's future.

Career Beginnings

The CEO started out as an intern at Amazon back in its early days. The CPO started at KPMG in Southern California. The CEO still remembers Jeff Bezos's firm handshake and the sharp way Bezos looked at him. Both said mentorship mattered a lot in their growth.

Dealing with Imposter Syndrome

Both said they had felt Imposter Syndrome in their careers. The CEO got through it by finding mentors and focusing on learning. The CPO's take was to accept the feeling, admit it is there, and keep getting better and learning.

Words of Wisdom

The CEO stressed that success comes from personal fulfillment and joy, not from fitting some mold. He stressed not over-planning or getting too fixated on job titles. The CPO agreed, and talked about finding balance and working hard at something that doesn't feel like work.

Company Values

The CEO picked "Value impact over activity" as the MOVE principle that resonated most with him, and pointed to time as a scarce resource.

Outlook and Strategy

On short-term and long-term planning, the CEO said Grammarly is lucky that it doesn't have to worry about short-term metrics. Grammarly will keep its long-term focus, with appropriate milestones along the way. The CPO said to dream big, concentrate on the immediate steps, and update the approach often. Head in the Clouds, Feet on the Ground

Future Vision

Looking ahead, the CEO compared today's communication inefficiencies to old-fashioned navigation systems, and saw Grammarly as a tool to streamline them. The CPO agreed, saying digital communication feels outdated now and expecting dramatic changes ahead to help with that shift.