Co-Founder & CEO (Heretic Stealth Mode Company)

Overview

Heretic’s stealth portfolio company – a consumer-facing AI startup that already has an engineering co-founder, pre-seed financing, and a prototype experience – is looking for a co-founder and CEO to take full responsibility for all aspects of launching the venture.

You will shape the vision, finish building and launching the product, build the team, and raise outside capital with mentorship, introductions, and investment participation from Heretic. As the CEO of an already-formed C-Corporation, you will report to the board of directors. You will receive generous equity commensurate with a co-founder level.

Heretic

Heretic Ventures is a San Francisco-based venture studio ideating and launching new businesses in the creator economy, including those that capitalize on AI/ML technology. Heretic is run by Managing Partner Mariam Naficy, who founded and built the pioneering internet companies Minted and Eve.com.

Heretic is backed by household names in Silicon Valley (investors and entrepreneurs), who act as the studio’s advisors both in selecting and in advising companies. As you scale the company from 0 to 1, you will have access to Heretic team members who have expertise in administration, AI, analytics, branding, and fundraising.

• Set and communicate a clear, compelling, and consistent vision
• Embed a cutting-edge product development methodology, including rapid test and learn cycles, instrumentation, development efficiency, and strategic architecture
• Design and execute product prototypes and tests
• Make key investment tradeoffs to ensure cost-effective testing and stage-gates
• Drive launch schedule and development roadmap
• Own product development and strategy to ensure product-market fit, initial traction, and growth
• Refine current learnings and customer insights into an actionable go-to-market strategy
• Refine a financial model and projections in support of the go-to-market strategy
• Own core business operations, including P&L and legal management
• Build a world-class team environment and culture while overseeing hiring, training, and other general management activities
• In conjunction with Heretic, drive the fundraising process for the company’s seed round

• Has led product management for a consumer-facing product with mobile and browser aspects
• Passion for entrepreneurship, and a willingness to take risks. Previous experience launching a company, even a failed one, is a plus
• Passion for style, fashion, and/or design products
• Has strong consumer instincts and has experience using a variety of consumer research tools to validate them. Knows how to act on instinct as well as when to dig into the research
• Can point to examples where they have made a smart trade-off between moving quickly and pausing to make sure things are correct. Can articulate how to make those trade-off decisions
• Is a current practitioner of leading edge product development methodologies
• Can articulate a point of view on how to build a high-performing product development organization
• Hands-on engineering or AI experience or a CS or AI background is preferred, but not required. Ability to engage in high-level discussions with senior engineering leadership is a must
• Is passionate about learning and implementing cutting-edge technologies
• Has a passion for building a high-performing, talented team. Enjoys recruiting excellent talent and helping prospective candidates understand the vision and the opportunity of the company
• Basic understanding of business management (finance, HR, fundraising, governance, recruiting) is a plus. Desire to learn quickly while being supported by Heretic is a must. MBA is a plus, but not required