You’re Never Done Learning: Interview with Bernadette Nixon, CEO of Algolia

I recently went one on one with Bernadette Nixon, CEO of Algolia.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?

Bernadette: When I first started my career, it was in England, but I decided that I wanted to make a change and move to Switzerland. I needed to be able to speak French in order to work there, which I did not, and I also needed to convince a company to hire me and sponsor me for a visa. I worked hard at learning enough French to get through the cold call I had to make, but the visa issue was harder to overcome - so I had to get a little more creative. I thought, where could I work in Switzerland that wouldn’t have as many hurdles for an international employee? The answer was the United Nations (U.N). I knew I might be a tough sell for them, not having a background in political science, so I made a bold move and performed the only physical cold call of my life. I showed up, knocked on someone’s office door - and got the job. I worked in procurement and then IT for the U.N. for some time until I was in a ski accident, which could have been a setback, but I turned it into an opportunity to make another career change. At this point, I had wanted to work in the U.S. for a while, so I got on a plane, started making calls, and within a week, I had secured a new job. For me, I try not to view roadblocks as setbacks, although I’m human so that might take a minute sometimes. If you decide that you’re not going to give up on what you want, then an obstacle is just an opportunity to get creative. When you get pushed back, you have to decide if what you want is worth putting in that extra time and effort. I have proven to myself, over and over again, that if I set myself a goal, I am more than capable of achieving it. Writing the goal down is key … note to self, time to write down another goal.

Adam: In your experience, what are the key steps to growing and scaling your business?

Bernadette: In the case of Algolia, we’ve always had a very customer-centric approach to everything we do. We know who our customers are and the issues they are facing - and that, I think, is where other businesses will hit a roadblock. You can’t scale if you don’t have an understanding of the market at large and if you aren’t putting customer problems at the center of your strategies. If you’re looking to grow, start by setting clear goals; build a strong team around you who are able to evolve and execute the strategy; stay abreast of key market trends; and focus on how to best attain – and retain – customers. You can’t grow without keeping your customers happy, period.

Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams?

Bernadette: Naturally, when we’re building teams, we’re looking for skilled and competent individuals who understand search and discovery, artificial intelligence, and how these things fit into the retail/e-commerce space. However, it’s important for me as a CEO that compassion and EQ (emotional quotient) are just as present and important to my teams as IQ. No matter how much the business or the industry might change, decency should be a constant in how we deal with each other and in how we’re approaching customer concerns. When those priorities are clear and present, you’ll attract the right people, and managing them will be much easier as well. 

Adam: What are the most important trends in technology that leaders should be aware of and understand? What should they understand about them?

Bernadette: Right now, of course, it’s all about artificial intelligence, machine learning, and large language models. In a relatively short time, AI has completely transformed the tech landscape and every industry it interacts with, and it isn’t going away anytime soon. Leaders need to be aware of the potential applications of AI, especially in improving and personalizing customer experiences. It’s important to experiment. They also need to be aware of how it is being perceived and talked about by business, tech, and governmental leaders – both the good and the bad. 

Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader?

Bernadette: As I said earlier, I think emotional intelligence is an important yet often overlooked quality in a leader. You need to be able to build strong relationships with your team members and foster a supportive environment where people feel empowered to thrive. I also think that a leader needs to be adaptable - especially in an environment where new innovations and unpredictable consumer behaviors challenge your business with many changing conditions. If you’re flexible and open to those changes, then you can approach them as opportunities rather than setbacks. And I also believe that a leader needs to be a decisive figure who can make the tough decisions and take responsibility for the outcomes, whatever they may be. You need to be seen as someone that your employees can trust and rely upon, and that comes from setting an example of competence and integrity. I’m not suggesting top-down command and control, I’m a big believer in situational leadership skills that enable you to adapt to both the situation and person you’re dealing with.

Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level? 

Bernadette: It doesn’t matter how far along you are in your career – you’re never done learning! I learn a lot from my teams and peers, and I welcome their advice and feedback. I’m always ready to grow my knowledge of the industry, and I’m also always willing to hear feedback that will help me improve as a leader. I guess you could say I’ve had a love/hate relationship with OKRs for example, so at the moment I’m learning from the newest member of my leadership team on how to implement them well.  Don’t be afraid to seek out those opportunities to improve, and build a network around yourself of friends and peers whom you can trust to be honest with you. This requires you being vulnerable and being open to input, help, and experimenting with new ways of doing things … it can be quite invigorating - give it a go!!

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders? 

Bernadette: One: Encourage a culture of innovation within your organization, and foster an environment where new ideas are welcomed. Two: Build partnerships, both internally and externally, to leverage collective strengths, share knowledge, and achieve common goals. And three: Stay focused on the customers. Continuously seek to understand your customers' needs and preferences, and strive to provide the most personalized experiences for them that you can. 

Adam: What are your best tips on the topics of sales, marketing, and branding?

Bernadette: I’d say having clarity of vision is the starting point for all of these things. Until the last couple of years I’ve struggled with Vision, Mission, and Purpose … it’s just too much to keep straight and remember without referring to a website or doc. I like a company’s Vision, Mission, and Purpose to be the same thing - I can remember that!! And it informs your branding and GTM strategy, making previously difficult decisions easy, in my opinion. The Vision should also be in service of your customer, versus yourself!!  From there it’s all about connecting with your target audience and telling a compelling company story across your sales, marketing, and branding strategies. Figure out your key metrics and always strive to improve them. You should know exactly what your ideal customer’s pain points are and what motivates them (here’s where market research comes into play). Then, make sure your story as a brand is aligned with what your target customers seek. Once you’re able to bring those customers in, make sure you’re staying engaged with them as well and are working to forge a long-term connection with them. This can be achieved by providing highly personalized experiences. AI-powered search and recommendations can be helpful on this side of the business as well, anticipating needs and creating a seamless experience for the customer to meet them. 

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?

Bernadette: You’ve got two ears and one mouth - use them in that ratio. You learn a lot more when you’re actively listening, versus listening to reply.


Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally-recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one on one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.

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