Friends of Dave #101: Start Me Up
Some signs you might be cut out to work for a startup....
Recently some of you may have seen that I shared a blog post on LinkedIn written by my former boss, Penny Herscher, about things to think about if you are considering whether you should make a move to a startup or a big company. I've actually spoken to a number of Friends of Dave about this exact topic as well over the years. Penny's post is excellent food for thought and I have included a link to it below -- check it out.
If you have never worked at a startup, I can assure you that the picture you have of what it is like in your mind is very different than the reality. If after reading Penny's piece you are still wondering whether it might be for you, I've come up with my own list of questions for you to answer:
Do you like riding roller coasters? How about those in the dark with tracks held together by duct tape and sections that may or may not be finished?
Do you actually look forward to stepping on Legos with your bare feet?
Do you like going to conferences? How about when you are accompanied by the pop-up booth you have brought to set up yourself?
Are the only marketing materials you need the ones written on a pizza box in the conference room/break room/empty cubicle next to you?
Do you aspire to have a mirror on your desk with "The IT Guy/Gal" taped to the frame?
Can you picture a world where this equation seems perfectly reasonable: (# users who have ever had a free trial + # friends/family using product + # users who have said they would buy "when we have budget")*10 = # of clients you tell an industry friend you have (approximate)
Would you agree that the only difference between the "beta version" of a product and the "release version" is someone was crazy enough to pay for it?
If you answered "yes" to two or more of these questions, feel free to safely quit your job, grab a hoodie, and head to startup land. If just reading the first question made you feel a little queasy, do yourself a favor and stick with a big company. Offer to go to SXSW, host a hackathon and help build their "corporate innovation lab" to get your fix instead...your family, your bank account and your future self will thank you.
Hope this helps! Enjoy the rest of the newsletter and have a great weekend!
XOXO
Dave
3 To Start You Thinking...
Startup or large company - which is best for you?
This is a great post from my friend and former boss (who recruited me to join a less than $5mil revs VC backed startup), Penny Herscher. I've had a similar conversation with her in the past about the pros and cons of working for startups and large companies at various stages of a career. If you are thinking about this yourself, I highly recommend.
What Kind of Happiness Do People Value Most? The difference between experiencing happiness and remembering it.
How to fix bad writing before you type a single word
Focusing on audience, objective and takeaway is key to putting together an effective message. Quick read.
4 To Make You Smarter at Work...
America’s monopoly problem, in one chart From cellphone providers to beer to cat food, consumers have a lot fewer choices when it comes to buying — even if they don’t know it.
To Give a Great Presentation, Distill Your Message to Just 15 Words
When you approach public speaking as the sharing of ideas as well as a business, understanding what makes this a successful exchange, your confidence will improve in direct proportion to the number of times you nail it, on and off the stage.
If Your Sales Process Looks Like This, You’re Blowing Deals
A smooth hand off of opportunities from sales development to account executive is imperative to complete a sale. Way too often it is more disjointed than it needs to be. Great stuff here.
Are You Serving Your Prospects the Right Content at the Right Time?
Sharing buyer-centric content at exactly the right moments is your best bet for keeping prospects warm during a lengthy sales cycle. Some useful insights here on what content to share and when at every stage of the buyer journey.
Your weekly quirk...
This Map Shows the Largest Employer in Every State
Snark aside: ignore the obvious on this map and focus on the other industries and companies highlighted. Pretty interesting statement about where the focus is in our country.
Payless Opened a Fake Luxury Store, ‘Palessi,’ to See How Much People Would Pay for $20 Shoes
In unconfirmed related news, Chock Full O'Nuts once opened a fake premium coffee store to see who would be crazy enough to pay for a $5 cup of coffee....it's called Starbucks.....
The Secret Ingredients of the World's Funkiest Fatbergs
I shudder to think about the possible carnage to the sewage systems if my three teenagers ever visited the 3 cities highlighted....
And The Last Word....
WATCH: A Happy Little Thing Called "Thank You" — www.youtube.com
As a follow up to last week's Gratitude edition, Friend of Dave Christian Eidt forwarded me this really cool video highlighting a study done about gratitude and it's relationship to stress and happiness. Both insightful and uplifting -- worth taking the 8 minutes to watch this weekend!