It looks like we’re going to have scale down operations. Does this mean we’ve failed? Is this really just the start of our downward spiral? How should I be thinking about contraction?
Where to Find Opportunities in a Recession
I’m watching all of the world implode right now — surely there has to be some good that can come of all this madness, right? What happens when the dust settles? Is there some opportunity for me to grow while everything else is shrinking?
How Can I Creatively Pay My First Employees?
“I’m a cash-poor startup Founder looking to bring on my first employees. I can’t afford full salaries, so what creative options can I use to get the help I need?”
Treat Departing Employees like Future Employees
You may be in a position where you have to make some very tough decisions about your team and its future. Here are a few tips to help you navigate that journey.
Why We Plan Our Entire Business In 5-Day Sprints
You guys keep talking about how your whole business is run in 5 day sprints. How could you run a company that big with such a short window of focus? Don’t you need longer planning cycles to make things work?
How to Tell Investors Sorry it Didn’t Work Out
I’m about to fold the tents on my startup and I’m super stressed about talking to my investors. What’s the best way to break it to them that things didn’t work out? Are they going to jump down my throat or is there some way to walk away gracefully?
How a Founder Should Communicate in Crisis
Whoa. I’m dealing with an insane crisis at my startup right now. I’m trying to think of the best way to tell everyone what’s going on, but it feels like I’m stuck somewhere between writing a really poofy press release and crying on stage. What’s the best approach to rally everyone right now?
What if the Founder’s Personality is a Startup’s Liability?
What do we do if we suspect our own personalities might be a problem in our startup? How do we know if it’s even something to dig into? And if we do find out we’re the problem, what do we do about it?
Let’s All Work On The Last Startup We’ll Ever Do
How would we think about our startups if we knew this was the last startup we would ever do? Would we be so rushed? Would we still think killing ourselves to “get to an end game” was justified? What if this was the end game? How much stress would that alleviate?
Should Big Competitors Scare Me?
Think of big companies like the Death Star. On the outset, it’s a planet killer. But its weakness, (other than a really questionably-architected ventilation system), is that it moves at a glacial pace. I spent 10 years running a digital agency working with these Fortune 500 giants like BMW, Best Buy and Eli Lilly. What […]