What Grant LaFontaine has said about Company culture and management

LaFontaine argued that business stories are mostly a device for recruiting followers rather than substance.

“stories are sort of BS. You know, a lot of stories in terms of like business are really a mechanism to convince people to follow you versus something of like real substance”

My First Million: Whatnot founder: This is the future of e-commerce (Sep 21, 2026) · Listen from 15:13

LaFontaine said an early mistake was hiring executives from big-name companies on the assumption that a good résumé meant competence.

“oh, you ran such and such at this big company. You must know what you're doing”

My First Million: Whatnot founder: This is the future of e-commerce (Sep 21, 2026) · Listen from 38:44

LaFontaine said scaling to 1,400 people forced him to build an explicit operating system and rhythm for running the business.

“the company's 1,400 people today, as an example, and you do need really good systems and process to run a company at this scale”

My First Million: Whatnot founder: This is the future of e-commerce (Sep 21, 2026) · Listen from 37:49

LaFontaine said blunt early-stage feedback no longer works at scale and he has had to soften his approach to get the best work from people.

“Someone might cry today if I do that. We don't want anyone to cry. And so you just sort of have to like know how to flex a little”

My First Million: Whatnot founder: This is the future of e-commerce (Sep 21, 2026) · Listen from 39:03

LaFontaine said smart employees use big words that obscure meaning, and he insists on explanations a middle schooler could follow.

“And if you can't explain it to me like I'm in middle school, you probably actually don't know what you're talking about”

My First Million: Whatnot founder: This is the future of e-commerce (Sep 21, 2026) · Listen from 47:02

LaFontaine argued that anyone who has to talk about moving fast is in fact moving too slowly.

“If you have to talk about it, you're moving too slow. If you don't even have time to think about it, you're moving too slow”

My First Million: Whatnot founder: This is the future of e-commerce (Sep 21, 2026) · Listen from 54:31