should you be working in a tech startup? - brian corcoran
Post on 17-Oct-2014
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Stipso co-founder and chief commercial officer Brian Corcoran on the challenges and joys of working for and recruiting to an early-stage technology startup. Adapted from a presentation given at RookieOven's The Galleries, 16 November 2013. See http://blog.stipso.com/2013/12/05/startup-recruitment-slideshare for more information.TRANSCRIPT
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
