The document provides advice for startups on building value and achieving success. It emphasizes the importance of building a great business, winning teams, shared vision, passion for the product, leveraging customers and partners, understanding the exit ecosystem, failing fast and learning, valuing timing and opportunity, and constantly driving progress through leverage. The overarching message is that startups should focus on leveraging all resources and insights to strengthen their mission of building a successful business.

1. BUILDING
VALUE
A Startup’s Mission
@MarkRuddock
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2. THE MOST FUN YOU WILL EVER HAVE
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3. If you remember only one thing
from this presentation ...
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4. This is what you are trying to build

5. This is not what you are trying to build
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6. 6

7. BUILD A GREAT
BUSINESS
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8. BUILD A GREAT
BUSINESS
Never forget that your guiding
principle should be to build a
great business.
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9. 7

10. BUILD WINNING
TEAMS
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11. BUILD WINNING
TEAMS
Never be the smartest guy on
your management team. Build
value by extending your
team’s capabilities.
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12. 8

13. ONE TEAM
ONE VISION
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14. ONE TEAM
ONE VISION
Try to retain an
uncomplicated corporate
culture. Share one goal,
celebrate mutual successes.
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15. 9

16. YOUR PEOPLE
ARE PRECIOUS
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17. YOUR PEOPLE
ARE PRECIOUS
Nothing can defeat a
passionate and committed
team operating at the peak of
their potential.
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19. STAY RUTHLESSLY
FOCUSED
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20. STAY RUTHLESSLY
FOCUSED
Understand your mission ...
communicate your mission ...
prosecute your mission.
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22. REMAIN
NIMBLE
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23. REMAIN
NIMBLE
Listen to the market, listen to
your customers, listen to your
data.
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25. KNOWLEDGE IS
POWER
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26. KNOWLEDGE IS
POWER
Information equals
Advantage ... Unique Insight
equals Greater Advantage.
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27. 13

28. RESPECT YOUR
ENEMIES
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29. RESPECT YOUR
ENEMIES
Always assume your
competition is capable of
being smarter and working
harder than you are.
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30. 14

31. BE PASSIONATE
ABOUT YOUR
PRODUCT
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32. BE PASSIONATE
ABOUT YOUR
PRODUCT
Never, ever, stop innovating,
leveraging the insights of your
customers, the lessons of
your competitors and the
message of the market.
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34. CELEBRATE YOUR
CUSTOMERS
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35. CELEBRATE YOUR
CUSTOMERS
In your customers lie valuable
insights, powerful corroboration
of your story and incredible
market leverage with your
targets.
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37. STAND ON THE
SHOULDERS OF
OTHERS
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38. STAND ON THE
SHOULDERS OF
OTHERS
Partnerships can provide
powerful leverage in
distribution, visibility,
technology, credibility etc.
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40. UNDERSTAND
YOUR EXIT
ECOSYSTEM
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41. UNDERSTAND
YOUR EXIT
ECOSYSTEM
You will benefit from
understanding who might
care enough about what you
do to deliver strategic
returns in an exit and why.
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43. FAIL FAST
LEARN FASTER
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44. FAIL FAST
LEARN FASTER
Don’t stigmatize failure so it
remains hidden. Treat every
failure as an invaluable lesson
and gain leverage from it.
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46. NO SACRED
COWS
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47. NO SACRED
COWS
Other than perhaps corporate
values, nothing is off the table
for renewal or ruthless self
examination. Nothing!
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49. BUILD BOARDS
THAT PROVIDE
LEVERAGE
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50. BUILD BOARDS
THAT PROVIDE
LEVERAGE
Build boards capable of
insight and action ...
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52. SELECT VENTURE
PARTNERS FOR
VALUE
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53. SELECT VENTURE
PARTNERS FOR
VALUE
Your Venture Partners can be
a powerful source of
leverage. Choose them
wisely.
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55. RESPECT THE
IMPORTANCE OF
TIMING
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56. RESPECT THE
IMPORTANCE OF
TIMING
Startup success is often a
question of timing. Listen to
your data, your market, and be
prepared to move quickly
when the opportunity
strikes.
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58. DRIVE EACH AND
EVERY DAY
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59. DRIVE EACH AND
EVERY DAY
Try to leave every day further
ahead than the day before.
Push the ball forward in any
way you can.
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60. If you remember only one thing
from this presentation ...
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62. LEVERAGE

63. LEVERAGE
Gain it. Grow it. Don’t ever lose it.

64. Get Ahead ... Stay Ahead ... Pull Away
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65. Thanks and
enjoy the ride!
www.MarkRuddock.com
@MarkRuddock
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