StartUp

BUSINESS

• Metrics, metrics, metrics. Use multivariate testing but not too soon
• Have patience with revenue
• Always be moving towards solving the problem/pain point of customers
• Don't compromise on the right solution.
• Be stubborn on the vision but flexible on the tactics. http://gigaom.com/2009/06/15/tips-on-innovation-enterprenuership-from-jeff-bezos/
• Remember that things that become popular quickly also become unpopular quickly: http://www.physorg.com/news163333282.html

 

equity

• People come and go, including founders. make sure to structure equity to account for change
•  

monetization

• The "night club model": freemium (dance floor), members/paid (vip), micropayments (bar)

 

HIRING

• Hire more slowly, fire more quickly

• Get rid of the bad apples early and fast, offer ways to exit
  • paid x severance to leave, anytime

• "Lucky in life" people who view themselves as lucky are more open-minded http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3335275.stm
• Interviewing based on culture in addition to skillset
• Don't base it off interview alone. Always have a 2-3mo baking period for both the company and the person's sake.
• If you're waffling, err on the side of No Hire
• Ask open ended questions and let the candidate speak
• Read every time before interview: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/GuerrillaInterviewing3.html

Retention

• Assume they are getting calls all the time
• Earn loyalty by being loyal to them
• Be proactive about compensation and growth 
• http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-keep-your-amazing-employees-2009-11

 

CULTURE

of the company

• Create the company based on the culture and value, not on the product or idea
• People will always remember how you made them feel
• Help everyone be part of something greater
• Make the 100 Best Companies to work for list
• Create a culture of giving and generosity of each other's time and resources
• Value everyone, trust them, respect them
• Trust means transparency but also means responsibility and accountability
• Provide autonomy
• Zappos uses "be a little weird" which breaks down some defenses and barriers and allows for indivuality to shine through
• Reward the good, ignore the bad instead of punish the bad and ignoring the good.
• Provide anonymous feedback forms (goog form?) for feedback on the company and the leadership
• Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose. Financial incentives can create lower performance: http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html

• Netflix: http://www.slideshare.net/reed2001/culture-1798664
• Zappos: http://about.zappos.com/jobs/why-work-zappos/our-ten-core-values

 

of the audience

• Ask what kind of culture do you want to foster?
• Own up to mistakes externally, create a culture of "we're in this together" with the customers

 

TECHNICAL

• Iterate quickly through continuous integration maybe even continuous deployment so you can try many hypotheses quickly
• Solve only enough to test things out and be willing to refactor as necessary

 

DESIGN/PRODUCT

• Have a point for every design decision. What are you trying to have them do? What ACTION?
• Assume you are wrong so you're willing to change it

 

PROCESS

• Shorter, more discrete timelines are necessary but need to balance that with not micromanaging
• Mix up teams every cycle to avoid creating boundaries and rifts and to help cross train
• Give people/teams problem sets and enough data to propose and execute solutions
• Don't compromise on quality. Don't ship something that doesn't test a theory properly.

 

 

BOOKS / MORE LINKS

• 4 Steps to Epihpany - Steve Blank
• Good to Great - Jim Collins
• Built to Last - Jim Collins
• Hire with your Head
• Peak - Chip Conley
• Tribal Leadership - Dave Logan, John King, Halee Fischer-Wright
• Happiness Hypothesis - Jonathan Haidt
• 25 Media Maxims: http://www.unlikelywords.com/2009/11/17/25-media-maxims-from-ken-auletta/