should you be working in a tech startup? - brian corcoran

FOUNDER THOUGHTSGLASGOW, SCOTLAND: 16th NOV, 2013

Be careful with whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.”

“ADVICE IS A FORM OF NOSTALGIA.

Mary Schmich, Chicago Tribune

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OUTLINEGENERAL STARTUP OBSERVATIONS

A BIT ABOUT MY STARTUP

SCOTTISH ECOSYSTEM BUILDING

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ABOUT ME

BRIAN CORCORAN

36. Irish. Co-founder at Stipso. Chief Commercial Officer. Stipso is my third startup, but first in the tech/product

world.

ABOUT STIPSOStipso is a SaaS tool for visual content marketing.

STARTUP OBSERVATIONS

WHAT IS A STARTUP?“A temporary organisation designed to search for a

repeatable and scalable business model.”

STEVE BLANK

WHAT IS A STARTUP?“A 'startup' is a company that is confused about:

what its product is who its customers are how to make money.

!As soon as it figures out all 3 things, it ceases to be a

startup and then becomes a real business.”

DAVE McCLURE

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STARTUPS AREN’T FOR EVERYONE

Extremely uncertain Demand very hard work

Usually low paid early on Require a high degree of self-management Achieving work/life balance can be hard

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FOUNDERS MATTERTHEY SET THE TONE FOR EVERYTHING

Culture, ambition, execution.

TEAMS MATTERA good team with a bad idea is better

than a bad team with a good idea.

THE “IDEA” DOESN’T MATTER*The company you end up with will probably

not look like the idea you started with.

*have confidence in your thinking, rather than in one idea

ENERGY & MOMENTUM MATTER

YOUNG TURKSRevolutionaries who refused the old dogma

STIPSOA SOFTWARE-AS-A-SERVICE TOOL FOR

VISUAL CONTENT MARKETING

Living Infographics for: !

Visual storytelling Audience engagement

Inbound marketing Conversion

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THE FOUNDERS

STEVEN DROST CEO and product owner

BRIAN CORCORAN CCO

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LATE FOUNDERS

IAIN BROADFOOT Lead Developer

IVANA McCONNELL Lead Designer

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GRADUATES

DONALD ANDERSON Graduate Developer

MARCUS KERNOHAN Content Marketer

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TEAM-BUILDINGWE HIRE FOR VALUES, AND TRAIN FOR SKILLS

“Attitude is more important than aptitude.”MARK SUSTER

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TEAM-BUILDINGRULE #1: NO ASSHOLES

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TEAM-BUILDINGSOME OF OUR VALUES

Only really smart people Must be a team player

Thoughtful Right motivations

Right passions Desire to learn

No startup junkies !

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OUR FUTURE ROLES: 2014DEVELOPERS (SENIOR, JUNIOR, GRADUATE)

!GROWTH HACKER

!CONVERSION RATE OPTIMISER

!OFFICE MANAGER

Do you fit? Get in touch!

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STARTUP HIRINGEARLY STAGE: 2-10 PEOPLE

Local talent, word of mouth, founders’ network

GROWTH STAGE: 11-20 PEOPLE National talent, word of mouth, team’s network

WORLD DOMINATION STAGE: 20+ PEOPLE International talent, inbound applications, unknown

people

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ECOSYSTEM BUILDING

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REQUIREMENTSTALENT, CASH, DESIRABLE CITY

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PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHSSCOTLAND SHOULD FOCUS ON:

Solving real-world business problems SaaS

A quickly-discoverable business model

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GOOD EXAMPLES

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VIRTUOUS CYCLESMART YOUNG PEOPLE BECOME

EARLY HIRES AT GOOD STARTUPS

GET STOCK OPTIONS

GROWTH: GOOD, SMALL

GROWTH: GREAT, BIGGER

EXIT

NOW HAVE EXPERIENCE & SOME WEALTH

BECOME FOUNDERS OR KEY HIRES AT GOOD STARTUPS

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SAY HELLOBRIAN@STIPSO.COM

@brianc13+44 788 991 7733 blog.stipso.com