Claire Hughes Johnson on 'Ways of Seeing'

One of the individuals I had the opportunity to meet face-to-face at Slush 2023 was Claire Hughes Johnson, whom I have been following with keen interest since 2010. Learning that she had a background in publishing at The Atlantic, founded Google's autonomous vehicle division, and even engaged in political campaigns during those years had a profound impact on me. My fascination only grew when Johnson took on the role of COO at Stripe. Transforming a team of 150 into a global operation of 7,000, balancing the role of Chief Corporate Officer & Advisor at Stripe while starting a family, and finding time to write a book—all of these bold moves left me in awe. I was eager to meet her in person and see the person behind these courageous steps.

When the staff at the Stripe booth heard that I wanted to meet Claire, they initially chuckled, but then they mentioned a 'secret' lunch she had organized. Suddenly, I found myself at a lunch gathering with Claire in a secluded area. Her team had arranged an intimate Q&A session. Claire's curiosity and passionate storytelling quickly captivated the participants.

According to her, when it comes to shaping company culture, meetings that bring the team together and a culture of feedback are crucial. Additionally, there are two critical qualities she pays attention to in hiring: curiosity and listening skills. Claire categorizes the people she hires into two groups: those who will stay at the company for '2-4 years' and those who she can see working together for 'at least 10 years.

I also have some questions. I'm curious about how she made the right decisions when making career changes and whether she has a compass for this. Claire explains that she makes decisions not based on what is popular today but on the potential and expectations of tomorrow. Her curiosity allows her to quickly immerse herself in new topics. 

My second question is about how her routine changed from being a COO to a Chief Corporate Officer. How did she adapt to this change, and how did she make this decision? Claire mentions that the first year was quite challenging, but now it has become easier. She thought about what was right for the company when making this change and says, “Tough decisions sometimes require resilience.” However, she also admits that it's challenging for her to make recommendations without having direct responsibility.

At this point, other participants ask her the question, "Why don't you start your own business?" Claire responds by sharing that her daughter is in her final year at home, stating, "We'll see what comes next." Her contemplative smile suggests that she has given considerable thought to that.

• Recommendation: I highly recommend Claire's book, Scaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building for anyone looking to take early-stage startups to the next level.