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Managed by Q is an office management startup that does things a little differently. In an industry dominated by low-wage contract labor, Managed by Q offers its hourly employees a suite of benefits (health care coverage, equity, and real paths for career growth, to name just a few.) Turns out, this isn’t just good for employees—it’s also good for the bottom line. Find out how these labor practices are helping Managed by Q find its competitive edge.

READ:

“Managed by Q’s ‘Good Jobs’ Gamble” by Adam Davidson

Miki and Radha Agrawal are the co-founders of THINX, a line of game-changing period-proof underwear. In just three years, THINX has crowdfunded over $100k, grown to a team of 30+, and earned praise from the likes of WIRED and the New York Times. But Miki and Radha are hardly first-time success stories. Between them, they’ve launched a popular pizza spot; created a nutrition-focused kids’ show; written a book on entrepreneurship; founded a monthly, nation-wide early-morning dance party—and more (!). Listen to their recent episode of the VFA Podcast to find out what drives them to build things.

LISTEN:

Miki & Radha Agrawal on the VFA Podcast

If you wear a lot of hats at your startup job, some of these hats are probably brand new to you. And odds are, you can feel the cognitive burden of picking up skills on the fly: a new ability requires more attention and mental bandwidth than a worn-in skill. So how do you turn a new skill into something you could do in your sleep—what psychologists call “automaticity”? It takes overtraining: a combination of repetition and a strategic ramping-up of difficulty. (And it’s worth it.)

READ:

“How To Learn A New Skill Well Enough To Do It Automatically” by Benjamin Hardy