Boxes on boxes
This week, I’m trying out a different version of the Sunday email - instead of hearing from me, you’ll hear from someone who found their way into an interesting job. How did they get the job? How did they succeed at it? How did they decide what to do next? All that and more, below:
Interview with Max Dworin, Former Chief of Staff at Boxed
His path
Max graduated from Johns Hopkins then went to Teneo Strategy as a consultant before becoming the Press Secretary for Senator Chuck Schumer. He did a stint as VP of Communications at the Partnership for New York City before becoming Chief of Staff at Boxed, an e-commerce wholesale retailer. After serving as CoS, he launched Boxed’s Wine & Spirits category and is now in the middle of getting his MBA and launching something new…
The interview
How’d you get your job as Chief of Staff?
I actually got an interview through a cold LinkedIn message to the CEO, Chieh Huang. Like me, Chieh is a Johns Hopkins alumnus. I had seen him speak at an alumni event years ago, but I did not introduce myself. So when I saw Boxed was looking for a Chief of Staff – and I was looking to transition from politics into startup – I reached out, mentioned we both shared the same alma mater, and let’s just say I…embellished a bit. I told him we had met at that alumni event. Don’t worry; Chieh knows this story. I am not blowing up my own spot.
What’s one thing that a new CoS should make sure to do in their first three months on the job?
I think the most important thing for any Chief of Staff – regardless of the scope of the role – is to establish a solid, trustful relationship with the principal (in most cases, the CEO). If you are not able to establish a solid rapport, it is hard to be successful. Obviously it’s important to spend the first few months learning the business, defining your role, and getting to know the leadership team. But I think you should spend the most time working to build a solid working relationship with “the boss.”
What one personality trait of yours made you effective as a CoS?
Gosh, I look back and feel there is so much I could have and should have done differently. But I think ultimately for me, my communication skills were probably my biggest asset. Is that a personality trait? Hmmm…I’m going to go with it.
What’s one thing that you had to unlearn while you were working as a CoS?
I had to get much more comfortable with ambiguity. When you’re Chief of Staff at a startup, it’s not always clear what you should be doing day in and day out. It is easy to get discouraged, but you just have to stick with it and plug in where you see opportunities.
How did you decide what to do after the CoS role?
I knew I wanted to have more of a day-to-day operational role leading a part of the business. Boxed was entering into the wine and spirits space and I jumped at the opportunity to help launch the business. It was a great move. I got to get my hands dirty and do everything from high-level strategy to customer service. It was basically like running a mini-startup within a startup.
What’s a piece of advice that you’ve been given that you keep returning to?
The one that keeps coming to mind is: if you don’t ask, you don’t get. My mother gave me that piece of advice very early, and it has stuck with me. It’s why I had the courage to reach out to Chieh to ask him to hire me to be his Chief of Staff when I had pretty much zero business experience. It’s why I asked to help lead the wine and spirits launch. The worst someone can say if you ask for something is “no,” so you might as well go for it. You really have nothing to lose.
Which fictional character would be your CoS and why?
Well, I was going to go with Leo McGarry, but that’s too easy. I would definitely want someone who complements my skill-set. It would be a waste to have a Chief of Staff who brings the exact same traits to the table. So, in my case, perhaps someone with a little more of an analytical mindset who does not shy away from confrontation. I’m going to go with…Chloe O’Brian from 24!
One more thing…
Max is building something new in the food & beverage space and is interested in connecting with individuals who invest in CPG startups. Feel free to hit him up at max.dworin@gmail.com
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