What I Learned Spending 10 Years Building a Startup

I Co-founded Vodeclic in 2007 and served as CTO, we got acquired in 2015 by SkillSoft and I kept on working there for 18 months until I decided to quit last December.

It takes a lot of time, a whole lot of time!

I never thought about this before I started, obviously it takes a lot of your day to day time but more importantly it just takes time as in years. It took me almost 10 years and I honestly don’t know if I would have signed for it if I knew. By the way 10 years is the average time for a successful startup adventure.

Hiring is key and yet you will do many mistakes and it’s OK

You have to hire, but the truth is that it’s damn hard and not only in tech jobs, in any jobs! I found this hard because you end-up always looking for the five-legged sheep and even when you found it chances you will need someone different in a year or two because your company changed so much.

Why would the best work for you?

Like I said previously hiring is hard and yet people always say something like “I’m looking only for the best” but did you ask why would those people work for you? Honestly we weren’t Google, Uber or the next Unicorn and chances are most startups aren’t either. You won’t hire “only the best” and it’s OK, you probably don’t need them and won’t be able to handle them anyway. At the end of the day I often even traded really good technical candidates by other I found more as a match with the company, the mindset and that I could help grow with the company. More than hiring people you are building a team!

Taking decision will become natural

Sometimes people ask me how do you do to take such decision without looking back or doubting? Build a company and you will understand! Decision have to be taken everyday and the truth is that usually this is not the decision that matter, there is no right or wrong, only knowing why you took it really matters.

You never have enough money, never!

As a founder you crave to raise fund because you need it to hire people, invest in the product, marketing etc. so once you raise money you think this is it. In fact, no and it only gets worse, money call money and the life of a startup is the non stop growth, in other words more money.

It goes fast, but never fast enough

Building from scratch a company, create a new product, hire dozens of people, make millions of dollars etc. this is amazing to do this in only 10 years! Building a startup can feel like a sprint with a marathon distance, but even that feel too slow when you are in because you always look for the next step.

Focus is key

Everybody says it and yes it’s so true!
I felt this is a schizophrenic thing to do because you need to be open, for instance to get the right business model or market or product fit, but you need extreme focus in the meantime because it’s so easy to get yourself lost in endless path. It’s also very hard for technical/product people because today it’s easier than ever to build almost anything and that is a dangerous thing!

This is the best learning adventure possible

Looking back my 10 years, I learned so many things that I don’t even know from where to start. If you like this feeling of not knowing anything about a topic and starting to catchup time after time, this is just amazing.

It’s a lonely job

Most people don’t talk about it, but I really do feel that way. Usually we create friendship and sometimes even more at work, the place you spend most of your time, but as a founder I don’t see how you can do this and yet it takes 10 years.

Doing it alone would have been impossible

I had two co-founders and I consider this the best approach, I wouldn’t start a company only by myself. Having co-founders help you keep the motivation and brings X times more skills/time on the project which is truly invaluable.

The grass looks always greener on the other side

Don’t read TechCrunch, it’s as simple as that! I’m only half joking, there is sadly a lot of bullshit in this economy so don’t spend too much time listening or you will end-up frustrated for nothing. Focus.

Sometimes you wish you’d have stay small

Crazy right? You spend you entire time growing and yet you do feel it was better once you were only a few. I felt this at about the 20th employees and once you don’t even remember everyone first name then it gets bad, but this is the game.

Your company feels like home

Imagine a place where you spend 50% of your time for years, where you know (mostly) everyone, they all know you, you have all your habit, etc. doesn’t it sound a bit like home?

Exit is the accomplishment you looked for!

When you start a company and raise money you know there will be an exit (good or bad) and this is how most people measure success in this economy. I felt the acqusition of my company as a recognition for all that time and hard work.

Yet an Exit is still an Exit

An exit means you are gone one way or another, this is no longer your company and chances are you won’t work there anymore very soon after. Usually you don’t really control that timing, which is maybe what makes it harder to grasp.

What to do next after such an adventure?

Personally it is still an open question, but I don’t see how not to start something else, it’s probably an addiction!

Below the slides that support this talk.

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