Delivered at Casual Connect USA 2016. Starting a company, or joining a very early one, is a tough decision. This presentation will delve into the reality of taking that first step, how to survive in the early days, and how to grow through different phases of a startup. Using Appfuel's journey from the pre-funding dorm rooms to the decision to join a larger company through acquisition, audience members will truly learn about volatile growth and how to achieve it. WARNING: Frequent expletives and zero sugar-coating.

1. How to take the leap
Getting started, surviving, (hopefully) thriving

2. “I want to own and run my own business”

3. 1: Find a legal clerk
2: Pay a few small fees
3: Incorporate
4: Name yourself as CEO
Step One: Set up your company

4. “I want to own and run my own business”

5. Step Two: Go hang out with your peers

6. The steps themselves are easy.
Personality quirks are assets.
Here’s how I got the ones that helped me.
I bet you have them too

7. Source:
Homeschooling (wtf?)
Quirk / Asset #1:
Self-Sufficiency

8. Source:
Homeschooling (still wtf?)
Quirk / Asset #2:
Separation from the Herd

9. Source:
Not understanding language
Quirk / Asset #3:
Instinctual Listening

10. Source:
Being the peon
Quirk / Asset #4:
“A. B. D.”

11. Source:
First (and last) big-company corporate job
Quirk / Asset #5:
Polish

12. Source:
Alfred
Quirk / Asset #6:
Delusion

13. Source:
Scary foreign relatives
Quirk / Asset #7:
Inadequacy

14. Source:
Desperation
Quirk / Asset #8:
Follow-through

15. 1. Self-Sufficiency
2. Separation from the herd
3. Instinctual Listening
4. A. B. D.
5. Polish
6. Delusion
7. Inadequacy
8. Followthrough