Glenn Lurie

With a vast background in leadership and decades of professional experience, Glenn Lurie is considered a valuable thought leader in the wireless space. Lurie is currently a general partner at early-stage venture fund Stormbreaker Ventures. Previous positions of note include president and CEO of Synchronoss Technologies, a company that provides multichannel transaction management solutions for the communications and digital content industries, and tenure in various positions of authority for AT&T.

Before joining Synchronoss in 2017, Lurie worked for nearly 30 years in the telecommunications and wireless industries. One of his notable roles was as president and CEO of the mobility and consumer operations at AT&T. His astute skills and knowledge about the industry enabled him to help the company become the nation’s top wireless and consumer concern.

Lurie managed several different teams and departments in his many leadership roles at AT&T, including overall operations, customer care, retail stores, indirect distribution, etc. Aside from these impressive achievements, one of Lurie’s most notable accomplishments was taking a lead position in negotiations with Apple to bring the first iPhone and iPad to AT&T. Lurie was also at the forefront of three massive developments for the large wireless brand: AT&T’s IoT (Internet of Things) business, which helped to bring wireless solutions to cars, tablets, and consumer electronics; the creation of AT&T’s Digital Life home automation and security sector; and the launch of Aio Wireless, now known as Cricket Wireless.

Glenn Lurie’s professional career started in 1990 at McCaw Cellular. Working as an account executive, Lurie was recognized as a top salesperson in the state of Oregon. As Lurie dived into the professional wireless industry, he quickly climbed the ranks with McCaw. After working as an account executive for one year, he was promoted to marketing product manager, then later retail and B2B sales manager at AT&T Wireless after it acquired McCaw. This gave him valuable knowledge and skills in the wireless space, including exceptional customer service and management expertise.

In 2014, Lurie was named one of 10 #MobileGameChangers by Russell Reynolds Associates. He earned this accolade for his mobile-first approach to implementing innovative wireless solutions that improve the lives of millions.

Prior to his first professional role, Glenn received his Bachelor of Arts degree in business/marketing from Seattle Pacific University. Known as an adept student, Lurie was also a successful college athlete and a three-time NCAA National Champion for Seattle Pacific’s soccer team.

Although he has a long list of professional accomplishments, Glenn Lurie isn’t stopping anytime soon. He continues to help others live better, more connected lives.

Where did the idea for your career come from?

The idea came from our Managing Partner Said Mia who wanted to do venture differently as our approach is “we help fellow founders navigate their journey”… We help first, always do the right thing and know time is precious… we dig in with our founders to be successful.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

My typical day consists of working with our funders, reviewing potential new start-ups, checking in with my boards and talking with the companies that I advise. Productivity is all about solid planning and prioritizing each day… its also about focusing on the key actions that you need to get executed.

How do you bring ideas to life?

Ideas are fantastic, but only useful if you can do the work around the idea that supports it and makes it viable… to make a solid business decision, you must have the facts to support that decision…!

What’s one trend that excites you?

Everything, and I mean everything, in our lives with connected and smart… so the trends in IoT to connect everything along with the trends in AI/machine learning and all kinds of intelligence will continue and accelerate to continue to change the world.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

Prioritization…!

What advice would you give your younger self?

Always stay true to yourself… easy to get caught up in stuff and lose track of what’s important for you…

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

You can always stay young… physically and mentally!

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

The mirror test! Every day you need to look in the mirror and to be honest with yourself if you did or did not have a productive day… and accomplish what you set out to…?

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

The one strategy is having an organized and in-sync go to market strategy and an operating rhythm to support that GTM.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

No failures… just learning opportunities that will make you better, smarter and stronger on the new one.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

My advice is very simple… always put people first! The people you work with, the people who are your customers and anyone else you touch… put them first, find a way to be successful with every one of them and show them how important they are to the overall success of the business…

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

Lunch with my family – time to sit down with the four of us and talk and connect.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

I am an all Apple guy… I live on my iPad!

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

“The Speed of Trust” – shows how trust between people and teams can massively accelerate the velocity of the business.

What is your favorite quote?

Great people and a great team can always find a way to win…

Key Learnings:

• You must create a culture that puts people first in everything you do… you must also make sure each and every one of those people know their purpose and how they, day in and day out help the company achieve its goals and come with passion every day!
• Prioritize and plan for each day, while also being honest with yourself with what you accomplished and are you moving the ball forward and in the right direction…
• Relationships, relationships, relationships… these are the most valuable assets you have and treat them accordingly.