“We’re all more malleable than we give ourselves credit for. We adapt to our environment. And so the best decision I’ve ever made was when I chose to work around people who were going to shape me into the person I wanted to be, as opposed to career decisions about the specifics of the job or the task.”
But his ultimate career goal was always simpler: running a tech company.
After helping grow LinkedIn’s recruiting business from roughly $40 million to $1 billion in revenue over five years, Shapero expected validation. Instead, Weiner pointed out a gap: If he wanted to run a great tech company, he needed to understand the product—not just sales.
“It’s one of those moments where someone tells you a truth that isn’t necessarily comfortable in the moment,” Shapero said. “But upon reflection you realize is right—the cold water you needed splashed on your face a bit.”
So in 2014, he made an unusual move: stepping down from a senior sales leadership role to become an individual contributor on the product team.
“The only way to learn product is to do product,” he said. “You can’t learn it from afar. You can’t learn it by being connected to it. You need to build a product from the ground up.”
The bet eventually paid off. By 2019, he was named chief business officer, by 2021 chief operating officer—and now, CEO.
Fortune reached out to LinkedIn for further comment.
“You don’t necessarily need to be the one that invents the new way to do something,” he added. “But you do need to be aware of what others are doing, what the best practices are, and then be comfortable changing your habits.”
