Startup Systems
systems that power startups
Startup Systems
Startups will have “we’re amazing” moments and they will also have “we’re crashing” moments. In order to weather those storms, you need high levels of trust.
Build Your Culture Like a Product — Lessons from Asana’s Head of People
Managers should always be prepared to give away their people, and when the time comes for a high performer to leave, Shen argues that managers will actually be better off for it.
Pulling from the ethos of Molly Graham’s blockbuster Review article “Give Away Your Legos,” Shen has architected her own framework for how managers can avoid being caught... See more
Pulling from the ethos of Molly Graham’s blockbuster Review article “Give Away Your Legos,” Shen has architected her own framework for how managers can avoid being caught... See more
firstround.com • ‘Give Away Your People’ — How Managers Can (And Should) Prep for High Performers to Leave
Because big businesses aren’t built on gimmicks. You can blitz your way through Sand Hill Road and spike up the App Store charts on gimmicks, but you can’t actually use them to replace Gmail, or Salesforce, or Instagram, or Instagram, or Instagram, or Instagram. Even seemingly instant successes can’t become lasting companies without putting in the... See more
Benn Stancil • Why Are We Surprised That Startups Are So Freaking Hard?
Unnecessary versus necessary chaos
In my 13 years working at startups, I’ve witnessed many examples of unnecessary chaos—here are a few.
A major release has been planned for months, but launch communications—new positioning, website copy, customer email, blog post—are reviewed at the last minute.
A manager reschedules 1:1s every week because of... See more
In my 13 years working at startups, I’ve witnessed many examples of unnecessary chaos—here are a few.
A major release has been planned for months, but launch communications—new positioning, website copy, customer email, blog post—are reviewed at the last minute.
A manager reschedules 1:1s every week because of... See more
Jean Hsu • Does Your Startup Feel Chaotic? Good.
"I've noticed three main things holding people back from being more productive and achieving their goals.
They resist creating processes for themselves: This might be baggage from the past where processes were used to control and subjugate them. But processes chosen and designed by YOU can become liberating.
They resist making decisions: Most
Product-market fit always starts with the customer. And Dan Olsen’s PMF framework starts from the bottom up.
Michael Houck • Resilient Founders Always Have A Move
...in order to understand how to get a yes, we first need to grasp why people typically say no.
The main reason says Kao, is that people don't see how the idea you're proposing is beneficial to them. She's right.
At least on some level, we're all selfish.
The solution is to present your request in a way that shows the benefit the other party will
There are a few dimensions of PMF that are in tension with each other, requiring deliberate tradeoffs at each level . There isn’t just one element to emphasize above all else. And importantly, there are different times in a company’s lifespan where founders need to intentionally prioritize one over another.