With Sync Solved, Dropbox squares off with Apple – Wired, Dec 2011
Good article on the effort required to create a startup… In just a year and a half of late-night coding in crappy apartments and small, smelly offices, Houston and Ferdowsi had checked off the whole list. By collecting and tweaking existing solutions to a disparate range of computing problems, they created a package that could be bundled into a clean and lean release. The result is a service that has gained 50 million users since its September 2008 launch
Never say no, but rarely say yes – Jason Cohen, Apr 2011
Set the conditions of “yes” such that:
- If they say “yes,” you’re happy because the terms or money are so good, it more than compensates for the distraction, possibly even funding the thing you really want to do.
- If they say “no,” you’re happy because it wasn’t a great fit anyway, so it’s not worthwhile for a small return on your time and effort.
i.e. don’t price so low it’s an automatic yes for something you’re not sure about. Price high if getting a no is OK
Confessions of a (former) IT scoundrel – Gene Marks, Business Week, May 2008
John’s not an expert at CRM software. I was supposed to be the expert. I was supposed to dig deep, ask the tough questions, get the details. In the heat of trying to get the sale, I didn’t really dig deep enough. Important stuff was glossed over. I naively assumed too much and brushed aside important questions. And by doing this, I failed John. We no longer work together. Now when clients ask about features and functionality, I try my best to show, show, show. I’ve learned that I can’t read people’s minds. And saying yes all the time can build unrealistic expectations. It all catches up with you in the end.
Top five suggestions for entrepreneurs from IDEO – Simeon Simeonov, May 2008
The core of the IDEO philosophy starts with a focus on desirability. Come up with something people want then figure out how to optimize the technical and business aspects of it. The presenters told cautionary tales about clients who come up with a vision of something that people want but then cut so many corners to get feasibility and viability where they want them to be that the end result deviates substantially from the original vision. The lesson here is to stay true to your vision.
Getting inspiration through observation is where it all begins. Spend time with customers. Be visual and tangible – build a prototype. Try it yourself (dog fooding). Get out of your category for inspiration. Test-drive ideas, all the time.
Entrepreneurial proverbs – Marc Hedlund, O’Reilly Radar, Mar 2008
“If you keep your secrets from the market, the market will keep its secrets from you”; “Immediate yes is immediate no”; “The best way to get investment is not to need it”; “Great things are made by people who share a passion, not by those who have been talked into one”; “Work only with people you like and believe in”
Be a thought leader – Elise Bauer, Nov 2003
How does a company become better known with limited resources? By becoming an industry thought leader. What differentiates a thought leader from any other knowledgeable company, is the recognition from the outside world that the company deeply understands its business, the needs of its customers, and the broader marketplace in which it operates.
Write; Spread the word; Speak; Use your website; Unlock your white papers; Cultivate the press.
