"Trust is something holding them back." — Matt Auron, Co-Founder of Evolution

In this episode of Tech Scenes, Jeff James Martin sits down with Matt Auron—Co-Founder of Evolution—to unpack the inner mechanics of leadership, culture, and coaching inside high-growth startups. With decades of experience helping teams like Slack, Snapchat, and Coursera scale with intention, Matt shares grounded insights on how coaching has evolved as a discipline, why culture isn’t soft stuff, and how trust issues quietly derail performance.

Together, they explore the difference between therapy and coaching, the craftsmanship behind effective organizations, and how the best leaders invest in themselves and their teams—not just their product. From building feedback loops to navigating team dynamics and scaling consciousness across companies, this conversation is a masterclass in human-centered growth.

Takeaways

* Coaching is present-focused and action-oriented; therapy is past-focused and healing-oriented.

* Leadership is a craft—great companies invest in developing it.

* Organizational culture must evolve as the company scales.

* Feedback loops and structure are essential for team alignment.

* Trust breakdowns are often the root of performance issues.

* Coaches play a key role in scaling both people and systems.

* Growth requires systems—not just hustle.

* Music and personal reflection can deepen leadership insight.

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Therapy vs. Coaching

00:38 The Evolution of Coaching

04:41 Building Organizational Culture

10:35 The Role of Coaches in Leadership

16:57 Navigating Team Dynamics

23:12 The Importance of Structure in Startups

28:05 Craftsmanship in Organization Building

33:52 Personal Reflections and Music Choices

Learn more about the book Peak Teams – Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies - https://a.co/d/hp5Jtnu

Visit Collective Genius™ to Build Your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System™ - https://www.collective-genius.com/

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