How To Startup

3 Series A • 4× Techstars • 2 exits
Investor-operator, founder, advisor
Helping founders go from zero to one.

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@smg_revisited @txbeergoddess Be careful with recording. You need to live in a "one party consent" state or it is very much illegal.

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

"and don't stop until the goal is fully reached"

*a few moments later*

"I did not complete the task and I should not pretend otherwise."

[Pratik Patel @prpatel05]

i don't write code anymore. i type "continue" about 40 times a day.

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@austinxwalker I kid you not. Audacity was off the charts. What makes it worse is that he thought he was talking to an intern. So we know how he treats people when he thinks he can.

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@Hazim_Mohamad_ @CoffeeSpaceApp Hi Hazim, I tried your app, but the LinkedIn requirement is prohibitive. Consider making it optional.

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@adamshuaib Correct, it's called neurodivergence / autism.

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@stanislawrajm @dark_coderz Depends on the OS, where it was stored, how long ago, and if you ran a defrag in the meantime. :)

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@ianschneids2626 @seanjagermann And by CPG rocks, you mean Central Park Granite rocks, yes? :)

What are you building in the CPG space?

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

What are you building and what do you need help with the most? Let's see if we can help you.

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@leebrill @FrancisPSantora Correct. There are great programs out there, and I've been part of many.

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@FrancisPSantora Hard disagree.
Not every accelerator gives money, and some of them are great. Some accelerators give money, ask predatory levels of equity in return, and don't actually deliver anything. And some advisors are worth their weight in gold.

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

LinkedIn is so easily faked. And those who insist on you having one, are the ones asking to be fooled.

[Hubert Thieblot @hthieblot]

I've hired 500+ people as a startup founder.

almost all of my worst hires had impressive LinkedIns

almost all of my best had wild GitHubs and crazy side projects

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@DustinMontgomer @JacobCounsell @Inglehoff @justinhammon_ @klein_more88816 @lunanineai Hey Dustin, what are you solo-founding?

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@Sionehola Even then there has to be base compensation. If you're confident your product sells that should be no problem. If you're not, you're not in a position to ask that confidence of others.

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

Dear (aspiring) founders, don't do this:

Commission-only sales positions...
Do not work

Sweat-equity only positions that have to fundraise their own future salary...
Do not work

You're asking someone to work for free and take all the risk.

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@JacobCounsell You like having your buttons pushed, don't you?

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@mattdykema Maybe that's why they were on a consulting call?

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@AarushYadav47 Shut up and take my money. :)

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@TalhaKhan_TK_ Those that will make as billion dollar solo founders won't need the funding. VCs want risk mitigation and having co-founders is a big one.

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@16vchq @Aesculaix If you can afford it, sure. But founders should avoid burning their own savings if at all possible.

[How To Startup @how_to_startup]

@jamesmishra @16vchq Some people need to eat though