The document outlines key lessons and practices for start-ups, emphasizing the importance of technology, operations, culture, and communication in ensuring success. It advocates for simplicity, embracing failure, and fostering innovation while maintaining a focus on team dynamics and efficient processes. Additionally, it highlights the necessity of mutual understanding and empathy within teams to navigate the complexities of start-up environments.

1. Start-up MOJO Colin Bruce colin@bview.com bview.com/api linkedin.com/in/colinbruce twitter.com/colinbruce

2. My experience 3 start ups since ‘00 B2B purchasing Financial aggregation Local search & ads Varied roles Ostensibly: marketing | product | operations Along the way HR | sales| PM | QA

3. I recently started-up…again I had lost sight of some fundamentals I hadn’t realised I had forgotten some lessons I learned new lessons

4. Critical areas of a start-up Areas Technology Operations Culture Communication Critical actions Iterate Innovate Be pragmatic

5. Technology

6. Technology is critical Acceptable risk Cost Scalability

7. By definition, start-ups tolerate risk Biz-tech dialogue key to managing risk Technology stack Must release to production often The iterate fast Up time QA

8. Start-ups keep costs low, really low BView monthly hosting is £1,500 Open source, free, borrowed, bought on Spend where relevant

9. Start-ups appreciate scaling but don’t stress Hacks are tolerated in the short term Got to think about scaling in different ways Systems Processes Software Product Scaling might require different skill sets

10. OPERATIONS

11. Start-up guide to operations Flatten structures Optimise processes Break the biz|tech silo

12. Structures – flatten where possible Business analyst Tech PM Architect Dev lead (TPM) Developer (analyst) Designer Business QA analyst Business PM Business (BPM, QA) Dev lead Developer(s) Designer QA Technical analyst 3x more productive Tough to scale “ high-calibre, smaller teams outperform larger organisations” Bart Becht

13. Example start-up process simplification Do use Google docs Do use full screen mocks Do have developers write specs Do write light test cases for features Don’t document non-critical system elements Don’t do a regression test every release Don’t track burn rates (in the work-rate sense) Don’t set false deadlines

14. Start-ups avoid biz|tech clan wars “What’s best for the business?” Mutual understanding…empathy! Talk, don’t swap requirement docs by email

15. Culture

16. Rules of thumb for a good team The right people in the right place Empower Delay hiring Happiness & team building

17. Start-ups have Swiss Balls Your team needs a place to call home The right office: No legacy parent culture Technical freedom Open plan Near pubs

18. The right people are key Get: Get rid, fast: passionate commercial intelligent relentless process nazis nice-but-dim intellectuals procrastinators “ this is (…) not a game (…) if you’re not into it - go work at starbucks” Jason Calacanis

19. Start-up people are empowered People should feel confident to ad lib but; Mavericks are hard to work with

20. Idea exchange has to be part of the culture Opinionated people No fear to suggest Regular spot meetings Discuss possible solutions not implementations “ let those ideas flourish and not have them crushed by a (…) consensus” Bart Becht

21. Embrace failure Failure is guaranteed at some stage, in some form and of some magnitude If you are not failing you are not experimenting or learning “ You always pass failure on the way to success” Mickey Rooney “ Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.” Steve Jobs

22. Cynics/realists Are vital to the process Will help refine ideas Must be managed well Left to run wild will destroy the will to live in others “ If it is such a good idea then why isn’t everyone else doing it?” “ This is too complicated – we aren’t making the process easy enough”

23. Start-ups can run on a fraction of the staff Only hire when it is absolutely vital No empire building No jock strap holders First HR hire: 75+ staff Pay existing staff more before hiring They will be happier It will be cheaper Re-purpose existing staff

24. Start-up people know they are making a difference People motivated differently but common denominators c/o Maslow: Growth Recognition Belonging Money

25. Start-ups engage in fundamental team building Do things together Celebrate team victories Long term financial reward Facilitate personal growth Drink Eat Play games (as before) Options Shares New stuff Free time Responsibility Recognition

26. COMMUNICATION

27. Kuh-myoo-ni-key-shuh n Meetings Open & empathic Top down – bottom up

28. Start-up meetings have a purpose Communicate the purpose Short but regular Direct, frank, friendly No absolutes Preparation

29. Start-up people are open & empathic Understand what the other party wants Communicate your goals

30. No ivory towers in a start-up Brown bags/town halls are great Few/no taboos Air fears, communicate goals, communicate successes Understand what each part of the business does

31. INNOVATE

32. Innovation across the business Creative and intelligent people are always looking to do things better Fostering innovation is critical A meritocracy of ideas Embrace the new

33. ITERATE

34. Start-ups evolve fast Processes must facilitate change Staff must facilitate change Technology must facilitate change Examples:

35. BE PRAGMATIC

36. Keep it simple, stupid Launch fast & iterate Test ideas in the real world Live by the 80/20 rule Go step-wise to achieve complexity Seek input from inside, outside You don't need to outdo the competition. It's expensive and defensive. Underdo your competition. We need more simplicity and clarity. Jason Fried