Startup Resources

Below is a semi-organized list of articles I have compiled over the years that have helped me be a better founder/ceo. I hope you find them useful and I will continually update this list as it grows.

Required reading before starting up

1. The Struggle — Ben Horowitz
   I don’t think most people know how hard building a successful startup is. Further, I think too many people are ok with accepting failure. This stuff isn’t for the faint of heart.
2. Just f*cking do it — Mark Suster
   There are two types of entrepreneurs that I have come across. Two types of people in the world, for that matter. Those that think the world is against them, things never go their way, and everything is out of their control. And then there are those that acknowledge that they control their own destiny and just find a way. You need to be the second person.

Product

1. Product/market fit for startups — Mark Andreesen
   Great perspective on the importance of the market, and ultimately the problem in that market, you are attacking. At the beginning, nothing matters other than product/market fit.

Focus

1. The Perils of Shiny New Objects — Mark Suster
   Some of the best advice an entrepreneur can get. It is so easy to get distracted and pivot chasing the latest trend whenever things aren’t taking off (and 99% of the time in startups things aren’t taking off). But the good ones stay focused and sharpen the saw.
2. Do things that don’t scale — Paul Graham
   It is so easy for people to overlook the manual and completely unscalable ways that startups get off the ground — particularly VCs. With every fiber in your being, resist the concept that you can only do things that scale in the early stages. The only thing that matters is beating your numbers from today, tomorrow.

Fundraising

1. How to raise money — Paul Graham
   Don’t raise money unless you want it, it wants you. And when fundraising, do it as fast as possible.
2. Investing in lines, not dots — Mark Suster
   Fundraising takes time, and somewhat contrarian to the article above, it takes a while to develop relationships with investors that will lead to funding. Know how to develop those relationships before you need their money.
3. What should be in your pitch deck — Sequoia Capital
   Hard to argue with the best in the business.

People

1. ‘Let me show you’ vs ‘Wait and see’ people — yours truly
2. Scaling the people process: Part 1 and Part 2 — yours truly

Startup Execution
A series written by your truly for BostInno.

• Intro — What is startup execution
• Defining the 3 processes of startup execution
• Startup strategy: solve a problem, create new value
• How to find your initial customers
• How to outline your market opportunity
• Step 1 of designing your MVP
• Time is money — how to think about time spent in a startup

Miscellaneous

1. 4 etiquette rules — yours truly
2. 3 observations about successful consumer tech plays — yours truly