Building a startup is like going fishing

Rich fishing

Poor fishing

When you are hungry, this is the way to go

Few and hard to catch!Rich fishing

Poor fishing

Plentiful and eager to bite!

TextIncrease your odds

Odds of a hitting a home run: 1 in 35.26

Odds of hitting a single: 1 in 6.44

Hitting singles wins MORE games!

Small experiments

Keep throwing onto the wall...

Until something sticks!

Build up some experience...

So you can build on it!

Size does matter

Time to turn around: 10+ minutes

Time to turn around: 2 seconds

Making course correction is faster and less complex

Team, Team,

TEAM!!!

You are a startup, NOT a

daycare!

Professionals are grown-ups

Grown-ups act professional

Quality over quantity

M-F 9-6

Hire for outcomes

not for hours worked!

and share the wealth!

Everyone matters

Avoid Titanic’s

Model!

We are all in this together!

If one fails, we all fail!

Focus

Feature overkill?

Simplicity and total focus on the core problem

Don’t add. Subtract!

Check your attitude and ego at the door. You won’t need them and they won’t be tolerated

Do bring your intellect, curiosity and inquisitive mind

Question everything, but have a good reason for doing so

Agree to disagree but always respect the other person’s point of view and/or ideas

At the end of the day we always do what’s best:

First for our customers

Second for the company

We don’t let work arguments and disagreements get in the way of relationships

We all succeed or we all sink together. No “Titanic” effect

Building a great product is NOT the Product Manager’s responsibility. It’s every one’s

Lead, inspire and mentor those below you. Manage up

Learn quick… move on

It’s ok to be wrong… just own up to it

It’s ok to make mistakes… learn from them

It’s ok not to know something… go learn it

If you are going to criticize, follow it up with a compliment (1:2 minimum ratio please!)

If you have a great idea, present it with passion and be ready to fight for it regardless of

the outcome. If you are not, then don’t present it

Treat people below you better than you treat people above you or be gone!

Working hard is unavoidable… having fun is mandatory!

Function is more important