Thread by @jspujji

In honor of the 13th a month, here are 13 of my personal (mostly original) learnings on starting and growing successful companies since 2009... 👇👇👇

1) Tenacity is the most important trait for building a company. It is not intelligence, creativity or salesmanship, but sheer determination.

Wake up every day and push the ball forward.

2) Making decisions is hard; but a ‘bad decision’ outweighs no decision every time.

As you learn, you will even start to make good decisions.

3) Ask the question: What does great look like?

Spend real time/rigor getting answers and seeing examples.

This goes for people, product, processes, and everything else. Y

our biggest threat (esp as a first time entrepreneur) is not knowing or being able to identify GREAT.

4) Learn how to be persuasive.

This isn't just "selling" - all facets of starting a co involve persuasion (recruiting, retaining, fundraising, vendors).

To be persuasive, first master written/verbal communication.

5) 1% better every day means constantly seeking feedback and giving feedback.

Feedback works when there is a safe space created and the focus is really on helping each other.

Create an environment where people are more eager to find blind spots than afraid to be criticized.

6) 100% responsibility.

Whenever you notice yourself blaming others (especially your employees), look first for how you "co-created" that situation.

This works because you can only actually change yourself and its a faster/more natural path to growth/learning/resolution.

7) You will make lots of mistakes. Lots.

Forgive yourself and keep on chugging. Try not to make the same mistake twice and you should be fine.

8) A great lawyer is worth it.

A great lawyer (and any great advisor for that matter) has an opinion and can explain it well enough to convince you.

Bad lawyers/advisors either ask you to take their word for it or worse, do whatever you ask and then send you the bill.

9) Find a great accounting person as soon as possible.

Review all cash out and all cash in every 2 weeks (check run.)

Understand basic accounting (3 statements), and cash flow management. Know what working capital is.

Learn more here:

https://twitter.com/jspujji/status/1387812499777544199?s=20

10) Your company’s brand and reputation is built more by what your customers, partners, and competitors say about you than by your fancy website and collateral.

"Brand is the distribution of likely outcomes that you can expect from any company or person."

11) You will always be the ceiling for your company's growth. So invest in yourself.

Invest in learning & development early and often. Especially for yourself. Get coaches, join a forum, learn soft skills, hard skills.

L&D is the highest leverage/ROI.

12) Know your "state" or context. From where are you engaging?

Are you experiencing a threat/fear or are you in a state of trust/openness? If you're feeling threat, wait to send the email.

More here:

https://twitter.com/moskov/status/1389375530554716161?s=20

13) Self-awareness is a lifelong journey.

Learn what drives you: fear, extrinsic ($, titles), intrinsic, play or love/empathy.

Motivations are not singular. They shift every project, every meeting & every minute.

Self awareness is noticing at that level of granularity.