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Advice I'd give me younger self, as a founder
I've been building early stage startups since I was in college, making it 8 years of trying, so far
Looking back, I wish I framed problems better & some advice I'd give myself around this...
I've been building early stage startups since I was in college, making it 8 years of trying, so far
Looking back, I wish I framed problems better & some advice I'd give myself around this...
2012: Building a $100m ARR startup is impossible.
2020: It does feel that way. But what you don’t 100% get yet is that It Compounds. That is a force of nature in software startups that is incredibly powerful.
2020: It does feel that way. But what you don’t 100% get yet is that It Compounds. That is a force of nature in software startups that is incredibly powerful.
2012: Investors tell me the market is small, not venture scale
2020: Run numbers forward, not backward
- Take TAM today
Then:
- Assume Cloud spend doubles in 5 yrs
- Assume Market Share grows 5x in 5 yrs
- You figure out how to 3x your ACV
Forward TAM: Today x2 x5 x3 (30x)
2020: Run numbers forward, not backward
- Take TAM today
Then:
- Assume Cloud spend doubles in 5 yrs
- Assume Market Share grows 5x in 5 yrs
- You figure out how to 3x your ACV
Forward TAM: Today x2 x5 x3 (30x)
2012: But what if we can’t IPO? I don't think we are that good.
2020: There will be other options. The cloud is getting huge and everyone wants to be a part of the success stories, even the imperfect ones.
2020: There will be other options. The cloud is getting huge and everyone wants to be a part of the success stories, even the imperfect ones.
2012: But a lot of my team is tired, uninspired and a bad fit
2020: I know, I know. Recruiting is hard. I hate to tell you this, but actually, it never gets easier. But push through it. Just one more leader will make a profound difference
2020: I know, I know. Recruiting is hard. I hate to tell you this, but actually, it never gets easier. But push through it. Just one more leader will make a profound difference
2012: The other CEOs around me, are doing so much better
2020: I guess they are. Or at least it seems like it. But it doesn’t matter. You are doing plenty well to build a startup.
It will just take you a bit longer than them. So what?
Love the process
Have fun
2020: I guess they are. Or at least it seems like it. But it doesn’t matter. You are doing plenty well to build a startup.
It will just take you a bit longer than them. So what?
Love the process
Have fun
