10 truisms I’ve repeated many times at Crypto Startup Accelerator (CSX) in London.
Internalize them or learn these lessons the hard way.
1. Build a decentralized protocol with a token. The largest opportunities in crypto involve building new crypto networks.
2. Start simple. Left curve ideas with right curve execution are often the best.
3. Get more famous. The best evangelist for a new startup is the founder themself. Even, and especially, if you're an introverted engineer you need to be proselytizing and spreading the good word of your startup. Building a successful crypto project is often akin to building a successful cult.
4. Be important. Don't let high status people push you around, or lowball you with bad offers. Prioritize working with high performance and high integrity people, and know your own value.
5. Set deadlines, and communicate them clearly. You will not ship faster than your deadlines, and speed kills. Deadlines should be aggressive and push other people on your team.
6. Attack a definite future now. Hedging into multiple potential futures means none will materialize. You can always change direction in the future, but you must be focused in the short term.
7. Don't let who you are get in the way of who you could become. Many of the best startups were born out of a pivot. Don't let emotional attachment to old ideas or approaches hold you back from an obviously better future.
8. Always be hiring. Start by trying to hire all of the best people you've ever worked with, and be relentless about pursuing them.
9. Be a happy warrior. Never put down other projects or speak negatively of competitors, but be a prolific force for positivity about your own project. You should be judo throwing every other narrative to explain why it validates your own approach.
10. Shamelessly beg for distribution. Every announcement, every product launch, every post — directly ask your community, investors, peers, and customers to evangelize.
In that spirit, RT this post so future founders will apply to CSX, and follow me for more updates on our accelerator!
Internalize them or learn these lessons the hard way.
1. Build a decentralized protocol with a token. The largest opportunities in crypto involve building new crypto networks.
2. Start simple. Left curve ideas with right curve execution are often the best.
3. Get more famous. The best evangelist for a new startup is the founder themself. Even, and especially, if you're an introverted engineer you need to be proselytizing and spreading the good word of your startup. Building a successful crypto project is often akin to building a successful cult.
4. Be important. Don't let high status people push you around, or lowball you with bad offers. Prioritize working with high performance and high integrity people, and know your own value.
5. Set deadlines, and communicate them clearly. You will not ship faster than your deadlines, and speed kills. Deadlines should be aggressive and push other people on your team.
6. Attack a definite future now. Hedging into multiple potential futures means none will materialize. You can always change direction in the future, but you must be focused in the short term.
7. Don't let who you are get in the way of who you could become. Many of the best startups were born out of a pivot. Don't let emotional attachment to old ideas or approaches hold you back from an obviously better future.
8. Always be hiring. Start by trying to hire all of the best people you've ever worked with, and be relentless about pursuing them.
9. Be a happy warrior. Never put down other projects or speak negatively of competitors, but be a prolific force for positivity about your own project. You should be judo throwing every other narrative to explain why it validates your own approach.
10. Shamelessly beg for distribution. Every announcement, every product launch, every post — directly ask your community, investors, peers, and customers to evangelize.
In that spirit, RT this post so future founders will apply to CSX, and follow me for more updates on our accelerator!
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
