From Designer To Founder

From Designer to Founder It’s the pants

Why become an entrepreneur? Times when I am truly happy Times when I am wearing pants Gap analysis: this is a gap here

Idea Entrepreneur (not fast enough) In reality, it’s more like this

Some ideas sneak up on you
Early practitioner of IA
Author of third book on it
Partner of Carbon IQ
Founded Boxes and Arrows
Founded IAI
Founded MIG
Founded Cucina Media
I realize I’ve been edging toward this my entire professional life…

So what’s it like? Not what you’d expect… Five lies I ran into, and five (personal) truths…

Lie #1 Finally a chance to do things right Truth: Finally a chance to learn why things are done wrong

Lie #2 I don’t know anything about business, I’m a designer Truth: Nobody knows everything On the other hand, now is a good time to learn excel

Lie #3: I can’t do it alone Truth: Then don’t do it at all

Lie #4: VC are evil Truth: VC have a job to do

Lie #5: I can do it like 37 signals. Truth: Don’t believe the hype. Anyone’s hype

So how do I do start a company? Let me tell you what I’ve got so far…

Choose your idea From Guy Kawasaki, Art of the Start Ability to provide unique product or service Value of customer compete on price stupid bankrupt The holy grail We designers are good at this!

Still… That doesn’t matter as much as this does. Passion trumps rational every time.

Signing up to be an entrepreneur is like signing up to be bipolar James Hong, Hot or Not founder

Choose how to fund a startup
Friends and family
Consulting
Angel Investors
Seed Funding Firms
Venture Capital
Don’t forget the
“ lifestyle business”
From: How to fund a Start-up http://www.paulgraham.com/startupfunding.html

Math 10X return means taking a 2M investment = exit of 20M + a little something for the wife and kids… How big is your market?

You will need for fundraising
An executive summary
Powerpoint of your story
A Forecast of when you break even
Good to have
A mockup
Better: A demo
Still better: A working product generating revenue

Pick great people Take “the shopping mall test”

Launch crappy and learn

You suck Designers are jerks. Including me.

Lastly

Try not to be afraid

Christina Wodtke, Founder & CEO | christina@cucinamedia.com

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From Designer To Founder

by cwodtke on Jun 12, 2007

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From Designer To Founder — Presentation Transcript