Investing in founders reimagining global habits with new tech infrastructure. 30+yrs. in Silicon Valley as Engineer -> Product Mgr. -> Entrepreneur -> VC.
Around 2006, we had a GPS at Google where we said "let's do Search, Ads & Apps on TV" (because the "universally accessible" part of the mission wouldn't be complete without reaching the biggest mass market medium). A variety of things followed over the years from this decision, none of which would have been possible if a few months later a super smart, authentic, friendly (& handsome) guy hadn't walked into a room in Mountain View, straight out of central casting. When I first met the great Mike Steib, I thought "This guy was born a CEO". My second thought was "He knows TV like no one else and he is the only TV guy who can teach us nerds how to reimagine it". Over the next few years, Mike built the best TV tech GTM machine, debated and taught me everything about what TV audiences, publishers and advertisers care about, how they think, how they talk, how they spend money. Eventually Mike took on all of the "Emerging ads" GTM function and the alums (& current members of his team) themselves became leaders/CEOs. Very few outside leaders, especially from traditional media, came into Google and were successful. Mike was one of them. How/why? Because he is super smart, authentic, friendly (& handsome) - he intuitively understands how to blend media and technology for the benefits of users, advertisers and publishers. And above all, he is a fantastic leader who genuinely cares for his team and spends years investing in them and building them up for greater success. The team at TEGNA could not have made a better choice in their incoming CEO = the great, the one & only Mike Steib!!!! Way to go Mike!!! (ps: local TV ads with show targeting is a good idea)
Well-articulated as always! Mike Steib, congratulations, thrilled to see you in this role, the local ads ecosystem needs you. And love the TV Ads mini-reunion on this thread - so many of us learned a tremendous amount about how to build and lead teams from you both Mike Steib Keval Desai
Keval Desai +1 to everything you said about our Google TV Ads beloved leader Mike Steib. He brought us all together and it truly felt like a family. Congrats Steib- go crush it like you do!
Congrats Mike Steib! I am still evangelizing Good to Great, DRI, KUBA, Fuck It Ship It, and Measure Twice, Cut Once to my team everyday!
Congratulations Mike Steib - love to see your name in bright lights. TEGNA won the lottery
Congrats Mike Steib. Super excited for you.
Way to go, Mike! When you are inside the Beltway visiting Tysons Corner, look me up! Btw, please send Keval a full 8x10 glossy 🤣
I could not agree more, you just described my experience working with Mike and his teams personally back in those days. Google TV Ads!
Congrats Mike.
Congratulations Mike! We will all be following you! And I agree...what you did for us with Google TV Ads was groundbreaking and epic. We are still family and we are still in awe of you!
CEO, Artsy
3wToo kind, Keval Desai. You’re a good friend.