In this episode of The Eric Ries Show, I’m joined by Siqi Chen, a four-time founder and the CEO and CFO of his latest venture, Runway. Runway offers a modern, user-friendly platform for financial modeling, headcount planning, and departmental budgeting—proudly branding itself as “the finance platform your team doesn’t hate.” With its distinctive marketing and brand-building approach, Runway has garnered significant attention. (Full disclosure: I’m an investor in the company.)Siqi and I discuss his journey from building some of the most viral social games in Silicon Valley to founding Runway. We also delve into the challenges faced by technical founders, the art of viewing a business as a product, and how Siqi has sharpened his strategic thinking. Other key topics include:• Lessons from founding Serious Business• Critiques of Zynga’s strategy and the story of selling to them• Practical advice for building trust• Insights into Leaders in Tech and Stanford’s GSB program• The importance of crafting clear, universally understood company values• An overview of Runway’s platform, mission, and values• A fresh take on the fallacy of work-life balance• And so much more! —Brought to you by:Vanta – Automate compliance, manage risk, and prove trust—continuously. ⁠⁠Get $1,000 off⁠⁠.—Where to find Siqi Chen:• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siqic/• X: https://x.com/blader/• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blader/• Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/founder/Where to find Eric:• Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericries.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theericriesshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ —In This Episode We Cover:((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((You can find the transcript and references at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠—Production and marketing by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://penname.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Eric may be an investor in the companies discussed.