In the nascent stages of a company’s life, how do you find a compelling problem to solve, and how do you know whether that problem is the right one for you? There are no walls to lean on. Zero data. You need to inform your gut through a combination of your learned experience, the people you know and having a personal itch to scratch. In 2018, Jonny quit his job as a design manager at Deliveroo, giving up a good salary and a bunch of unvested equity, to build his own startup. The first 100 days didn’t go to plan. He ended up with nothing but a blank sheet of paper and a rapidly decreasing bank balance. It took soul-searching, pride swallowing and talking to people like him to finally land on a problem he had the personal experience, the hunger and the network to try to solve. In this warts-and-all recap of his journey, Jonny will share a few tips and strategies for anyone who feels they have a startup in them and wants to start looking for that problem to solve.

1. @jonnyburch
CLIMBING YOUR
MOUNTAIN
1
@JONNYBURCH
MOUNTAIN

2. @jonnyburch 2

3. @jonnyburch 3
KNOYDART

4. @jonnyburch 4
DELICIOUS
WHISKEY
US RIGHT NOW
GENTLE
STROLL
SATURDAY
(THE PLAN)

5. @jonnyburch 5
MY FRIENDS
BEEN UP
MOUNTAINS
LIKE, 2 DUDES

6. @jonnyburch 6
25% CHURN
GENTLE STROLL JUST ONE MORE HILL
WALKERS

7. @jonnyburch 7
THE REAL TOP
FALSE SUMMIT
FALSE SUMMIT

8. @jonnyburch 8
EMERGENCY
SANDWICHES
…AND
WHISKEY
GENTLE STROLL JUST ONE MORE HILL NEARLY THERE
WALKERS

9. @jonnyburch !9
THE TOP
(SOMEWHERE)SATURDAY
(IN REALITY)

10. @jonnyburch
FALSE SUMMIT 1: MAY 2018
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11. @jonnyburch
RANDOM WORKSHOP
WTF IS THIS ONE
NO LUNCH FOR YOU!
OH
GREAT
NEW JO
BLOC
K CHAT
TING SYNC
11
MEETING
UNCLEAR AGENDA
AND TOO MANY
INVITEES
JONNY <> DAVE
JONNY <> NIGEL
NO-ONE REMEMBERS
IMPORTANT BOL…
COULD HAVE BEEN
AN EMAIL
GOOD
LUCK
WITH
THIS
ONE
BREAKF
WEEKLY

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LET’S DO THIS!
LAMBOS, PROFIT,
ETC.
GENTLE
STROLL

14. @jonnyburch 14
LAMBOS, PROFIT,
ETC.
GENTLE
STROLLLET’S DO THIS!

15. @jonnyburch 15

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OH CRAP
Plan
Team
Users
Money
SEE YA!

17. @jonnyburch 17
Jonny + Neil
1 year later

18. @jonnyburch
FIND YOUR CLIMBING BUDDIES
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RACE YOU TO
THE TOP!

19. @jonnyburch
FALSE SUMMIT 2: SEPTEMBER 2018
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23. @jonnyburch
OH NO
23

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25. @jonnyburch 25

26. @jonnyburch
IT’S OK TO GO BACK DOWN
TO FIND A DIFFERENT ROUTE
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THIS IS FINE

27. @jonnyburch
FALSE SUMMIT 3: MAY 2019
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OH CRAAAP

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SALES?

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33. @jonnyburch
BRING SNACKS, WEAR STURDY SHOES
(AND SING A CLIMBING SONG)
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HUP, TWO, THREE
KEEP IT UP,
TWO THREE FOUR

34. @jonnyburch
ALL CAREERS GO UP AND DOWN LIKE FRIENDSHIPS,
LIKE MARRIAGES, LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, AND YOU
CAN’T BAT A THOUSAND ALL THE TIME.
JULIE ANDREWS
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35. @jonnyburch
WHAT HAVE I LEARNED?
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36. @jonnyburch 36
IT’S OK TO GO BACK
DOWN TO FIND A
DIFFERENT PATH
BRING SNACKS, WEAR
STURDY SHOES
WALK WITH THE RIGHT
PEOPLE FOR YOU

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38. @jonnyburch
IT’S NOT REALLY ABOUT GETTING TO THE TOP
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39. @jonnyburch
CLOSE
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THE END
(SORRY)
@JONNYBURCH

40. @jonnyburch
ME: @JONNYBURCH
PROGRESSION: @PROGRESSIONAPP
SEND ME AN EMAIL: JONNY@JONNYBURCH.COM
THANKS TO XKCD FOR THE ART DIRECTION
AND THE JAM TEAM FOR HAVING ME!
40
DON’T BE A
STRANGER