Product managers – when was the last time you got your hands dirty and built something with your hand? If you’re an accomplished PM, chances are you’re so busy, and also surrounded by talented engineers who can build pretty much anything based on your PRD. As a result it might have been some time since … Continue reading Getting Your Hands Dirty
The investor who drags you around the investor committee and due diligence processes for months and months, only to drop at the last minute with a BS reason, and later invests in your direct competitor. The cofounder who consistently fails to pull his weight but nonstop complains about the lack of appreciation (as if appreciation … Continue reading The people who throw us sh*t
We shouldn’t confuse our personal passion and the commercial success that our organization needs. A VC should first make the right bets at the right time to get that IRR, before investing in what he’s personally passionate about. A movie director should first prove herself with a few commercially successful films so that financiers are … Continue reading Earn Your Bread First
Try pitching your startup idea to your friend who isn’t afraid to tell you that it’s the worst idea he’s ever heard in his entire adult life – not just other tech folks who are in the same bubble. You might get unexpected insights or thinking points. Having such a friend is blessing in life, … Continue reading Pitching to Friends
A pitch deck that’s simple and bare bones in design but crisp in logic and reads well is 10x better than a pitch deck that’s professionally designed but lacks sufficient logic and flow. It’s like indoor rock climbing — You want clearly marked, well placed holds so you know which one to reach and grab … Continue reading Storytelling > Design
Does a startup need an executive admin (EA)? 1/ I wouldn’t recommend startups get an EA until they’re certain size (say, 100+ people). A good EA can be amazing, they can help the CEO or other execs focus on important things rather than spending time on admin stuff, ultimately helping the company’s success. But these … Continue reading Startups and Executive Admin
With the Michigan football team winning the national championship last night, I was a happy man – along with many of my friends. There are so many business lessons to be learned from sports. One such lesson from last night (I’m sure there are many others) was trust and patience. Around 2017-2020, people talked sh*t … Continue reading Go Blue
Thinking you can build a truly deep relationship with someone only through a series of 30 minute 1:1 meetings is like thinking you can build a generational SaaS product by working on the project through 30 minute incremental time slots each day. To write great codes, you first have to get into the zone. To … Continue reading Getting In The Relationship Zone
Just a very quick, back of the envelope calculation re: fully office vs. fully remote; Even with a generous travel budget, you still can potentially save money by being fully remote I’m not suggesting remote is the way to go; I personally believe nothing can beat in-person collaborations especially when you’re starting new projects. But … Continue reading Fully Office vs. Fully Remote From Cost Perspective
A few interesting observations re: top iOS apps in the US – 18 of 20 top grossing apps are gaming, entertainment, and dating apps (the only exceptions are Duolingo and LinkedIn). Smartphone = content entertainment device – It’s 2024, and Candy Crush is still a top 10 app. Per a VentureBeat article, Candy Crush reached … Continue reading Top Apps in the US; January 2024