The document provides an overview of a workshop on developing an effective talent strategy for startups. It discusses how startups typically underprioritize talent compared to other areas like fundraising and product development. However, having a robust talent framework is important for differentiation and success. The workshop teaches attendees how to properly structure a talent strategy around key elements of hiring, developing, recognizing and retaining top talent using tools like a talent rubric. It also debunks common excuses startups use for not focusing on talent and includes a hands-on session to help attendees start building out a talent rubric.

1. Cracking the Code on
Startup Talent
Attracting, Developing and Retaining
Talent in a Competitive Market
Sam Wong – Startup Advisor
Execution Matters
www.ExecMatters.com
Copyright © 2019, Execution Matters. All Rights Reserved.

2. Agenda
Structure of this interactive workshop
You’re doing it wrong
Doing it right
No excuses
Building your talent strategy
Hands-on
Closing thoughts (and more nuggets!)
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3. How and Who?
We think we’re special, but this is not a monologue…
01

4. About This Session
This is an interactive workshop, not a
one-way monologue
Examples?
Questions?
Plenty of additional content available
Downloadable tools until end of Oct 2019
www.ExecMatters.com/talent
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5. Who We Are and What We Do
• Advises startups
• On great execution
• That drives fundability
• Which increases valuation
And we wrote the book on the subject
www.21secrets.bizwww.ExecMatters.com
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6. Who’s In the Audience?
Entrepreneur
Currently working
full-time at a startup
Wantrepreneur
Currently work
another job, but you
want to do a startup
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Other Job
Currently work
another job

7. The Bottom Line &
the Wrong Focus
You’re probably doing it all wrong …
02

8. Your Talent Framework Differentiates You!
Opportunities
TalentFramework
Few Many
MinimalRobust
Typical
Enterprises
Typical
Midsize
Companies
Leading
Enterprises
Leading
Startups
Typical Small
Businesses
Typical
Startups
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9. Typical Startup Priorities
Talent should be a top priority…
…but it is typically an afterthought
Fundraising
• Pitch decks
• Investor targeting
• Pitching
• Term sheets
Product Development
• Minimum viable product (MVP)
• Product / market fit
• Product roadmap
• Engineering
Users
• Registrations
• Downloads
• Daily active users (DAU)
• Monthly active users (MAU)
Sales
• Business model
• Monthly recurring revenue (MRR)
• Year over year revenue growth
• Long-term value (LTV)
Marketing
• Strategy
• Campaigns
• A/B testing
• Customer acquisition cost
11 November 2019Copyright © 2019, Execution Matters. All rights reserved. | 9

10. Team/Execution is the Main Driver for Success
(That You Can Influence)*
42%
32%
28%
24%
14%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Timing Team/Execution Idea Business Model Funding
Drivers of Startup Success
Entrepreneurs
don’t have much
control on timing
But talent is
well within an
entrepreneur’s
control
* TED Talk by Bill Gross, Idealab. “The single biggest reason why startups succeed” 11 November 2019Copyright © 2019, Execution Matters. All rights reserved. | 10

11. Do As I Say, Not As I Do …
100%
Founders, VCs & Advisors
Who Say Talent is Important
< 1%
Startups That Actually Invest
in Their Talent Framework
11 November 2019Copyright © 2019, Execution Matters. All rights reserved. | 11

12. “
11 November 2019Copyright © 2019, Execution Matters. All rights reserved. | 12
Ben Franklin
If you fail to
plan, you are
planning to fail.
Founding Father and Polymath
Most Startups Plan to Fail in At Least One Area

13. Doing It Right
The foundational role of the Talent Rubric
03

14. Talent Rubric Mentoring, Feedback
and Recognition
The Talent Rubric Maximizes Human Capital
Corporate Levels
Vice President
Director
Principal
Senior Associate
Associate
Competencies
Communication Cultural Fit
Impact of Decision Making Initiative/Ownership
Mgmt/Leadership Reasoning/Judgment
Relationships/Teamwork Tech Skills: Generalist
Tech Skills: Specialist
Expectations Audience Atmosphere Listening Scope
Vice President Effectively influences the
public on strategic matters
Derive solutions in a litigious
environment
Discerns unspoken messages Represents company publicly on
strategic matters
Director Effectively communicates with
executives & midsize teams
Achieve peace from hostility in
a WIN-LOSE environment
Helps others listen Tactfully communicates bad
news internally & externally
Principal Clearly communicates issues
with senior managers
Achieve clarity from confusion
in a WIN-WIN environment
Listens & discerns intent Clearly addresses painful issues;
makes complex appear simple
Sr. Associate Clearly communicates in team
leadership roles
Achieve consensus in skeptical
environment
Listens accurately Clearly communicates complex
project issues
Associate Clearly communicates with
colleagues and team leads
Achieve consensus in a friendly
environment
Listens carefully Communicates common project
issues
Senior Team
Member
Junior Team
Member
Junior Team
Member
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15. Case Study #1: Cambridge Technology Partners
Technology consulting company that competed with Accenture, etc.
Pioneer for high-end tech consulting on a fixed-time, fixed-price basis
Excelled at talent acquisition, development and retention
Top talent
Structured interview process
Strong culture
New employee orientation
Rudimentary rubric for employee performance
Resulting growth
Globally: grew 5x in four years (from ~900 to ~4,500 employees)
Locally (Bay Area): grew 6x in three years (from ~20 to ~120 employees)
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90% of CTP’s value was rooted in the talent!

16. Case Study #2: Miadora
B2C e-commerce company that sold jewelry
No differentiating IP, born from the Internet / “dot-com” craze in 1998
Struggled to hire top talent
A company without much sizzle – just an e-commerce “land grab”
Couldn’t participate in bidding wars for top talent
Most employee hires were unproven players – betting on their potential
Implemented a talent rubric and sold heavily on the opportunities
We built a strong team without a lot to offer
Built and operated 24x7 website with just 20 people (e-commerce, fulfillment, ERP)
Environment was fertile for employee development
We retained 100% of the strongest players, even through B2C crash
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Miadora succeeded by making employees successful

17. No Excuses
Debunking typical founder thinking …
04

18. It’s Worse if You Wait …
This Not This
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19. It’s On You … You Can’t Delegate
This Not This
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Entrepreneur / Founder VP of HR

20. Focus on the Roots, Not the Fruits
This Not This
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Here
Not Here
Talent
Coding

21. It Doesn’t Have to be Hard
This Not This
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Fewer Ingredients Fewer Tools Emerging ProSimple Recipe Complex Recipe Many Ingredients Experienced ProMany Tools

22. Building Your Talent
Strategy
How to get it done
05

23. Elements of a Talent Strategy
Hire Develop Recognize Retain
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24. A Well-Executed Talent Strategy
Hire
Well
Develop
Well
Recognize
Well
Retain
Well
Talent Rubric
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25. Place, then SellSell, Sell, Sell
Keys to a Well-Executed Talent Strategy
Hire Well Develop Well Recognize Well
Talent Rubric
Aim Justify
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26. Hire Well
Interview “Hygiene” Game Plan Show, Don’t Tell
Behaviors, Not Situations Hire Slow, Fire Fast Don’t Bloat the Title
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27. Develop Well
Employee Onboarding Expectation Setting
Coaching/Growth Culture Measurements
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28. Act Quickly
Recognize Well
Evaluate Promote Reward (with Cash)
Reward (with Equity) Reward (from Team)
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29. Workshop
Time to roll up your sleeves …
06

30. Workshop Tasks
Easier Task
Of the list of 30 competencies, pick the
ones you think your organization
should include in your rubric
How many to pick?
Why did you pick them?
How do you minimize overlap?
Harder Task
For a given competency, write out a
summary-level rubric
Quality
Project / program management
Reliability / dependability
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31. Sample List of 30 Competencies
Adaptability / flexibility
Analytical / methodical
approach
Attention to detail
Collaboration
Communication (oral,
written, listening, tact,
public speaking)
Confidence / assertiveness
Conflict resolution /
negotiation / facilitation
Creativity / innovative
thinking
Cultural fit
Customer focus / service
Diversity / inclusion
Ethics / integrity
Fiscal accountability
Impact of decision making
Initiative / ownership
Judgment / reasoning
Leadership / management
(self, team, organization,
industry; coaching)
Organization awareness /
political savvy
Planning / organizing
Problem solving
Project / program
management
Quality of work / excellence
Quantity of work /
productivity
Reliability / accountability
Risk management
Safety
Teamwork / relationships
Technical skill: generalist
Technical skill: specialist
Vision and strategy
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32. Determine High-Level Expectations
Example: Summary expectations for Teamwork / Relationships
Corporate Level Expectations
Vice President
• Manages and builds relationships between companies
• Creates an atmosphere that employees enjoy
• Builds morale during difficult times
• Manages employee retention
Director
• Manages and builds internal and external network of relationships to meet goals
• Resolves inter-personal issues across teams
• Builds morale during uncertain times
• Builds trust across business functions and teams
Principal
• Manages and builds relationships across teams
• Resolves inter-personal issues among team members
• Builds trust within team and among user leadership
Sr. Associate
• Creates an environment that nurtures relationships within team
• Gives direction and feedback
• Builds trust within user community
Associate
• Maintains healthy camaraderie with team members
• Willingly accepts direction and feedback
11 November 2019Copyright © 2019, Execution Matters. All rights reserved. | 32

33. Closing Thoughts
Session summary and a two more important nuggets!
07

34. Talent Strategy: The When, Who and How
When: Don’t Wait Who: It’s On You How: Everyone Involved
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35. Which Fuels Your
Growth.
Talent Strategy: The What
Employees Want to be
Successful…
So Build Your Talent
Rubric…
As Part of your Talent
Strategy.
If You Hire, Develop, and
Recognize Well…
You’ll Retain Well…
Competencies
Levels
Expectations
Hire Develop Recognize Retain
Retain
WellHire
Well
Develop
Well
Recognize
Well
Talent Rubric
11 November 2019Copyright © 2019, Execution Matters. All rights reserved. | 35

36. Focus on Fundability, Not Fundraising!
This Not This
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Focus on building a
healthy company
Don’t just focus on
fundraising

37. John Wooden and
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Red Auerbach and
Bill Russell
The Secret Ingredient: You Have to Care
Coach John Wooden:
10 college championships
Presidential Medal of
Freedom
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:
19-time NBA All-Star
All-time NBA scoring leader
Presidential Medal of
Freedom
Result: 50-Year Friendship
Coach Red Auerbach:
9 NBA championships in 10
years
938 wins as a coach
Bill Russell:
12-time NBA All-Star
11 NBA championships in
13 years
Presidential Medal of
Freedom
Result: “Lifelong Friend”
11 November 2019Copyright © 2019, Execution Matters. All rights reserved. | 37

38. Cracking the Code on Startup Talent: Q&A
• Advises startups
• On great execution
• That drives fundability
• Which increases valuation
www.ExecMatters.com www.21secrets.biz
11 November 2019Copyright © 2019, Execution Matters. All rights reserved. | 38

39. Backup Slides