While many CEOs inspire others, who and what inspires our CEOs? Four of the highest-ranking individuals at some of Austin's top tech companies recently spoke with us about what it's like to fill one of the most coveted and respected positions in an organization.
Reflecting on their toughest challenges, who they hire for, and how our city has played a role in their company's growth, these CEOs give us a glimpse into their work in Austin tech. Here's what they had to say.
Bjorn Zellweger on what he's learned from working in Austin:
"The main lesson for any entrepreneur I think is to make sure you hire the right people. When you start out you have to be very careful to get the right people on the bus and choose colleagues with the right values to fit your culture.
We have carefully defined the key traits we see in our superstar team members and look for these in anyone we bring on board. Developing interview questions around our values have helped this process, as well as hiring an in-house recruiter."
Steve Rafferty on his biggest challenge:
"Building a company from scratch with no outside funding was the most challenging thing I have ever done in my career. While every day presents a new set of challenges, the very beginning was the hardest. Those early days taught me the importance of determination and hard work. 
Doug Fashenpour on his morning routine:
"No day is ever the same. When I get into the office, I usually review my calendar to determine top priorities for the day and readjust my schedule to finish any remaining items from the previous day. From there I make my initial touch points with staff where we are at with pressing items, what problems we’re encountering and how we can resolve them. I also like to browse the latest trending articles in real estate, mortgage or finance and deliver relevant news to the team about shifts in technology or the industry. "
Christian Lane on staying motivated:
"I'm doing what I love to do. I once had a boss who was adamant about doing what you love, and I've worked hard to build a place that you want to go to work at. If I don't want to be there, then that's a problem. We get to help companies from 50 people to global Fortune 1000 companies establish better business patterns, build better software, implement and improve their processes, increase value, lower costs and help them be more profitable. It excites me and keeps me motivated. If it ain't fun, it ain't worth doing."
Images via featured companies and Shutterstock.
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