Episode 37: Fred Stevens-Smith, Rainforest QA

52 Founders

In this episode, you’ll hear about: -Why Fred and his cofounder Russell decided to leave Europe and come to San Francisco to create their company -Fred’s family tradition that inspired him to think creatively about problems, even when he was a child -How Rainforest tries to incorporate diversity in its culture, and why it’s important not to reward office politics -Why working weekends doesn’t translate to more success, and why you have to always believe in your own approach -Why the main job of a founder is to endure the bulk of the stress for the company, and why employees shouldn’t always look to them for the right answers -Fred’s main motivator, and what success will look like for Rainforest Though it’s a longer than normal episode, be sure to catch the end of the show. Fred shares two favorite startups (one of which is a future podcast interviewee!), and how his family’s iMac inspired Fred to be a designer.