My presentation about Startups

1. WARNING: THIS PRESENTATION MIGHT BE
DISTURBING
BugSense presents
"Startup or Shut up"
by John Vlachogiannis
@jonromero

2. Part I: Start(up) your engines

3. Incorporation

4. Funding

5. Build a great product

6. Extra: VISA (H1B, O1)

7. Enjoy life

8. Part II: Prepare for war

9. <----- YOU ARE HERE

10. Role models in Greece

11. It all started a rainy November
evening ...

12. It all started a rainy November
evening ...

13. It all started a rainy November
evening ...

14. Role models in the US

17. "Halfway to a good product,
never actually there."
-- Ζeno (possibly about Startups)

18. From Greece to Global

19. SVGS Fund
+
Advisors
+
YCombinator
+
Users
=
Best feedback we ever had!
We learnt more in 2 hours at Palo Alto than 4
months in Athens!

20. We used to be called Sfalma. Remember?
What the greeks said about the name:
● The branding is bizzare enough to work
imho
● Fantastic branding
● Sfalma rocks.
● I like sfalma, google was/is difficult
to spell too...

21. What do you need to "Startup" in Silicon Valley

22. I don't know

23. You have to figure this out by yourself
(every product is different)

24. Let me share with you my
"Daily SV Startup Secrets"

25. Secret #1
S-Corp, C-Corp, LLC?

26. Doesn't really matter (for now).

27. Secret #2
Get a good lawyer

28. And by good I mean, great.

29. Secret #3
You can't write a business plan -
You don't know your business (yet)

30. Iterate (business plan/product)

31. Secret #4
"If you are a "fake" in Greece, you'll be a "fake" in SV."

32. Don't try the "fake it 'till you make it"

33. Secret #5
Be ready for the (emotional) roller coaster

34. It won't be fun and
games

35. Secret #6
Don't be afraid talking about your idea

36. Ideas are cheap

37. Secret #7
Team

39. Secret #8
No need to have an MBA

40. SV wants fighters, no "cookie cutters"

41. Ignore Business School Books!
Get some enligthment from people who broke some eggs

42. DROPOUTS

43. We've met and got feedback from
almost every famous Angel &VC ...

44. ... wearing jeans and being ourselves.

45. Cookie cutters don't do this 'cause:
"It was not in the MBA book".

46. Secret #9
Determination

47. Lots of people cannot handle the competition.

48. We know a lot of these people.

49. And probably you are one of them

50. It's up to you to prove us wrong

51. Secret #10 (last one)
Luck

52. No such thing

53. Thanks
"bug" me at @jonromero