This document summarizes the lessons learned by Hardi Meybaum, the founder of Grabcad, over several years of building the company. It outlines 19 key lessons, including not giving up after failures, celebrating small victories, having an understanding support system, talking to customers, experimenting, and the importance of building a strong team of people you enjoy working with. Major milestones are also noted, such as launching the initial product, raising funding rounds, and Terry becoming a top customer after being one of the first to use the platform.

1. story by Hardi Meybaum
Stanford - 1/23/2012
@hardi_meybaum
@grabcad

3. 12/2009 - The first order
Lesson learned #1: don’t give up after first failure

4. 01/2010 - The first $ order

5. 01/2010 - The first $ order
Lesson learned #2: celebrate victories - earned $25,
celebration dinner $60

6. 02/2010
How to get more engineers
to work on orders?

7. 02/2010
Quit a day-job,
week before 1st child was born
Lesson learned #3: have a very very understanding wife

8. 06/2010
Raised a first seed money
to build a CAD Library
Lesson learned #4: raising the money from Europe is difficult

9. 08/2010 - launched Library
grabcad.com/library/bobber-bike-1
Lesson learned #5: build a minimum product

10. 09/2010 - Meet Terry
grabcad.com/terry.stonehocker
Lesson learned #6: talk to customers

11. 10/2010 - from static Library to
community
Lesson learned #7: learn how others innovate

12. 10/2010 - moved to Boston
booked this room for 3 months but got that one
Lesson learned #8: everything is not like it appears
Lesson learned #9: you are in or out, no middle choice

13. 12/2011- raising money in US
‣ 200 investors, advisors, customers .. in 3 months
‣ 1 investor partner meeting and a no
Lesson learned #10: talking to people gives you a lot of great feedback
Lesson learned #11: raising money in US is difficult

14. 02/2011 - what is this?

15. 02/2011 - lets through it out there
Lesson learned #12: you are not the smartest person out there

16. 03/2011 - joined Techstars
Lesson learned #13: learn from other entrepreneurs

17. 05/2011 Challenges
grabcad.com/challenges

18. 05/2011 - Challenges
Lesson learned #14: experiment

19. 05/2011
started A/B testing
80000"
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Lesson learned #15: A/B test

20. 06/2011 closed Seed Round
7 angels
Lesson learned #1: don’t give up after first failure
(remember the no from Partner Meeting?)

21. 12/2011 - Remember Terry?
grabcad.com/terry.stonehocker
today works for top customers in mfg industry
Lesson learned #6: talk to customers

22. 1/2012 - Series A
$4M from inside investors
Lesson learned #16: read this blog - www.forenterpreneurs.com

23. and most important
grabcad.com/about
Lesson learned #17: the TEAM matters the most
Lesson learned #18: find people you enjoy working with
Lesson learned #19: find people who want to learn and develop

25. story by Hardi Meybaum
Stanford - 1/23/2012
@hardi_meybaum
@grabcad