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1/ A picture is worth a thousand words. And to me, an x-y is worth a million. Here are some things I believe to be true based on my experience as a CEO and investor. Some or all may be completely wrong.
2/ The arrogance in VC - especially from the smaller funds- is kind of crazy to me. And offensive.
AuM = Assets under Management (size of fund)
AuM = Assets under Management (size of fund)
3/ If the VC is into you they will email....right away. Meaning RIGHT away.
4/ Seeing a huge trend in tech over the past 2-3 years of founders getting profile pieces for themselves to build their personal brand names. Often disconnected with the brand of the company. Basically just a hedge for them for their next job.
5/ Whispering in the office is rat poison.
6/ The pre-meeting usually is a precursor to either politics or a waste of time.
7/ A huge portion of the dinners and networking events in Silicon Valley have nothing to do with helping you run your company. Skip 'em.
8/ "Oh do other people like you? Then I like you too." - Says about 95% of tech VCs.
9/ So many people told me to focus even after I thought we were focused. They were always right.
10/ As your team gets larger people realize they can't know everything. They will complain until collectively you figure out how to spread knowledge effectively.
11/ Sadly you often need an intro to get the VC's attention. (Usually from another CEO). That helps contribute to a lack of diversity.
12/ Large boards, and meetings, rarely work.
13/ Some topics get diluted when they are debated.
14/ I need 8 hours of sleep. Maybe I'm weird. But when I started as a CEO I wish more CEOs had publicly said that's ok. The lore of CEOs plowing through with 4 hours of sleep is all you hear.
15/ I've found that if too much time goes between talking about our vision, we lose our way.
16/ Concise wins.
17/ There are some things team members think CEOs care about and at least I just don't. At all.
18/ The companies talking about perks are the ones that have to talk about perks.
19/ I learned this the hard way after lots and lots of failure. Keep your deck tight. 10-15 pgs.
20/ I believe strongly a CEO needs to maintain balance for a healthy mind and company culture.
21/ I'm guessing over time there is a downward relationship. :)
22/ Any you would add? Try to do it visually......
23/ Twisting someone’s arm to join your company? Probably a bad sign.
24/ Trust = Credibility x Reliability x Vulnerability. I don’t have to always cry in front of the whole company (although I have) but occasionally talking about my feelings helps.
25/ More than the executive team should be able to describe the vision.
26/ I’ve found that authenticity and my mental health are a virtuous cycle. It’s too hard to have a facade all day... every day... for years.
27/ “All Natural” doesn’t always mean healthy and “Value Add” doesn’t usually mean real services. Backchannel references have helped me get to realistic expectations.
28/ Since when is CEO not a full time job? Red flag.
29/ I’ve overdone the transparency before - telling everyone that this thing is REALLY risky - but I think that is better than hiding the ball. Or at least that is what I’m telling myself.
30/ Big ego → insecure → taking every little micro thing personally. And no, I’m not always above this.
31/ Trees, trees, trees, forest, repeat. I think that is the right ratio of heads down executing to head up perspective setting. How is that for scientific?
32/ Don’t get me started.....
33/ Option 1: email after 9pm. Option 2: have meetings after 9pm and email during day. Option 3: stop going to meetings and or stop emailing.
34/ I do TM twice a day, most days.
35/ People assume I love sports analogies. I usually don’t. [Though I do love sports.]
37/ We use a 4 point scale while hiring (and @lever). I’d rather hire someone with a 4 and a 1 than someone with all 2s and 3s. I look for the spikes (but still won’t hire brilliant jerks).
38/ Advice often makes me feel small, lonely and sometimes incompetent. Shared experiences make me feel a connection.
39/ At a startup the highs are on Everest and the lows are at the bottom of the ocean. The range is both exhilaration and exhausting.
I love it because you still have the opportunity to have an Everest type of day. And that -to me- is what life is about.
I love it because you still have the opportunity to have an Everest type of day. And that -to me- is what life is about.
