Why I Love Startups

Posted on by jeanneleez

Having spent the past 25+ years taking startups to the next level, strategy and marketing-wise, here’s my take on what they are and why startups are great. I love building things. I will not live forever, but perhaps something I’ve built will live on beyond me. While many startups are well run by experienced serial entrepreneurs who have learned the hard way how to build companies, most startups have a reputation for the following:

  • smoke & mirrors (no product ready to ship yet)
  • R&D’s undelivered promises (the tech doesn’t work yet)
  • deadlines not met (postponed launches, cancelled press tours, nothing to show at a conference, etc.)
  • constantly shifting product specifications (developers can’t always simply add a feature — it may require a complete do-over)
  • salaries paid on ad hoc schedule (if you’re funded, your burn rate could be out of control; if you’re bootstrapped, cash flow can cause huge issues for payroll)
  • inexperienced leadership (no financial management, no growth strategy, no monetization experience)
  • job role roulette (yesterday, you were making collections calls, today, you’re running marketing, tomorrow, you’re in charge of customer service)
  • frat office culture (boys acting like children, sexual harassment, partying long into the night, you name it…)

These are some of the many reasons why many of the more brilliant talent out there aren’t interested in working for startups. These companies give startups a bad name, and you can figure out which are worth your while by asking about these situations (other than the salary issue, but you can ask about how they are funded and how long they have until the next series of funding, how often the product requirements change, or anticipated product launch dates) during your interview process. If you identify any of these issues, you may want to look a little closer at the organization before accepting their offer.

The company can be any size, but generally under 150 people. Maybe funded, maybe bootstrapped, usually runs lean, doesn’t have a lot of processes and a (mostly) flat hierarchy. I saw a lot of changing business models, which is VERY difficult for established companies to do with their entrenched staff and systems (particularly if there is a labor union involved). Changing company divisions from cost centers to their own P&Ls dramatically changes the way a company does business. Reorganizing a sales department’s income structure, incentivizing new business over old, to improve a sales funnel — that will significantly change an older business to a startup structure.

One company that definitely wasn’t a startup brought me in to work “under the radar” and I was told by my boss, “It will be easier for you to be forgiven than ever get permission here.” I worked as a (mostly) lone wolf, with no support except my boss and the Board, and implemented significant change that was certainly not liked by the staff and their union, but propelled the organization into the top recognized in their industry, winning many awards. (I didn’t win any friends, for sure, but I did win a Webby Award for the effort.) Without my experience in startups, I couldn’t have accomplished what I did there.

Startups have their place and a lot of people can’t work there. Startup staff need to be able to take up the slack, sometimes bullying their way through projects to make things happen. They may have to take out the trash, feed the fish and water the plants. When I co-founded a company, the founder and I always argued over whose turn it was to clean the bathrooms and do the vacuuming. Once we brought on other staff, we all shared the cleaning of the office. Leaders need to be able to lead by example as well as present their mission effectively and build solid teams that understand their targets and goals. Let the brilliant people do what they were hired for and get out of their way.

The startup mentality is hard to implement in larger companies because of the cultural attitudes of middle management. People don’t like to take risks, especially those that may affect their career. They have a fear of the unknown. People are incentivized to make things complex in order to create value for their work — a good example would be the endless amounts of paperwork to be reimbursed for your travel expenses. (I’ve given up on that one.) Many owners want to call all the shots and don’t give their executives any authority but all the responsibility. Executives need to be able to assemble a decent team, eliminate waste (in staff and processes), and implement decisions on the fly according to changing business conditions. In one company that I worked for, that meant eliminating half the staff. In another, working nights to be in constant contact with my clients on the other side of the planet. Without the freedom to make these difficult changes would have meant failure, not just for me, but for the company. Excellence comes from providing talented staff with the right tools at the right time for the right purpose, and providing measurable incentives for measurable deliverables.

During the tech bubble I saw a lot of inflated salaries, offices and arrogance (if I ever hear “focus on the eyeballs and the money will come” again, I’ll have to kill that person.). The burn rate at some of these dotcoms was sheer greed and ego. These “kids” had an idea and a presentation and no idea how to make money. I was typically hired for my experience and then had to listen to these kids tell me that, “one year of dotcom experience was worth five years working in brick and mortar companies, and to do it their way (no offense).” But I love revenue. I wanted to focus on making money. They didn’t.

They were only successful because of one thing. What I saw was lucky timing — in an emerging market early with first mover advantage. What I also saw was exit strategies — IPOs & buyouts were the preferred methods because actual earning of revenues was work and took waaaay too much time.

Bitter? Not really… well, except when I meet the rich ba**ard at a function and learn he’s still rich, and I’m still working on it. :-/

But I love a good startup with a good idea, especially one that does good for the community at large. I love the potential of growing a business. I’ll always take the “road not taken” because that will always be the more interesting path on which to tread. But tread lightly if you take this path; be fleet of foot, flexible, and ready to make a move at a moment’s notice. It is important to your success.

“The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.” — Harry Emerson Fosdick

Be the disruptor, not the disrupted.

Do you want to outsource this type of work so that you can focus on higher level activities? Subscribe today to learn more about building your business and receive a free PDF “Process Plan for Creating Your Own Innovation Program”. Feel free to email us to learn more about how we can help you grow your business.

132 thoughts on “Why I Love Startups”

  2. I just couldn’t go away your web site prior to suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard information a person provide in your guests? Is going to be back frequently in order to check out new posts

  3. When you may have your embroidered baseball caps custom-made, try to keep away from utilizing white thread, as this shade stains extremely easily and embroidery may be very troublesome to wash.

  10. **citrusburn**

    CitrusBurn is a Mediterranean-inspired thermogenic formula created to support a naturally slower metabolism, encourage efficient fat utilization.

  11. **heroup**

    HeroUP is a premium mens wellness formula designed to support sustained energy, physical stamina, and everyday confidence.

  13. **mitolyn**

    Mitolyn is a carefully developed, plant-based formula created to help support metabolic efficiency and encourage healthy, lasting weight management.

  14. **purdentix**

    PurDentix is a revolutionary oral health supplement designed to support strong teeth and healthy gums. It tackles a wide range of dental concerns

  15. **prime biome**

    The bodys natural process of skin cell renewal is essential for preserving a smooth, healthy, and youthful-looking complexion.

  16. **insuleaf**

    InsuLeaf is a high-quality, naturally formulated supplement created to help maintain balanced blood glucose, support metabolic health, and boost overall vitality.

  17. **prosta peak**

    Prosta Peak is a high-quality prostate wellness supplement formulated with a comprehensive blend of 20+ natural ingredients and essential nutrients to support prostate health

  18. **nervegenics**

    NerveGenics is a naturally formulated nerve-health supplement created to promote nerve comfort, cellular energy support, antioxidant defense

  33. PokerBazi, I’ve been playing on this site for ages, and I gotta say, it’s pretty darn reliable. Tables are always full, which is a plus. Check it out if you’re into online poker! pokerbazi

  53. Ahaa, its fastidious conversation concerning this article at this place at this blog, I have read all that, so now me also commenting here.

  54. Asking questions are truly pleasant thing if you are not understanding something completely, but this paragraph provides pleasant understanding even.

  56. 这是一条写给急性子的简介：Cryptify Hub，Web3/AI/加密工具导航站。别问有没有课程，没有。别问有没有推荐，不推。只有一堆链接，爱用不用。参考库属性明确，不接受反驳。

  59. I like what you guys are up too. This kind of clever work and exposure! Keep up the fantastic works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my own blogroll.

  60. My family members all the time say that I am killing my time here at net, but I know I am getting familiarity every day by reading such nice articles or reviews.

  64. I’m not sure exactly why but this web site is loading extremely slow for me. Is anyone else having this problem or is it a problem on my end? I’ll check back later on and see if the problem still exists.

  66. Does your site have a contact page? I’m having trouble locating it but, I’d like to shoot you an email. I’ve got some suggestions for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great website and I look forward to seeing it grow over time.

  67. I am not sure where you’re getting your information, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more. Thanks for fantastic info I was looking for this information for my mission.

  68. Greetings from Ohio! I’m bored at work so I decided to check out your website on my iphone during lunch break. I love the information you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m amazed at how quick your blog loaded on my cell phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, amazing site!

  70. Hello there, You have performed a great job. I will definitely digg it and in my opinion recommend to my friends. I am sure they will be benefited from this site.

  71. Woah! I’m really digging the template/theme of this website. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s difficult to get that “perfect balance” between superb usability and visual appeal. I must say you have done a amazing job with this. Also, the blog loads extremely quick for me on Firefox. Exceptional Blog!

  72. I’m really impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Anyway keep up the excellent quality writing, it is rare to see a nice blog like this one nowadays.

  73. This design is steller! You definitely know how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Fantastic job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!

  74. Hey there just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The words in your post seem to be running off the screen in Chrome. I’m not sure if this is a format issue or something to do with web browser compatibility but I thought I’d post to let you know. The design and style look great though! Hope you get the issue resolved soon. Cheers

  75. Hey there! I know this is kinda off topic but I’d figured I’d ask. Would you be interested in trading links or maybe guest authoring a blog article or vice-versa? My site goes over a lot of the same topics as yours and I feel we could greatly benefit from each other. If you happen to be interested feel free to shoot me an email. I look forward to hearing from you! Awesome blog by the way!

  76. “学院”听起来很牛？其实它就是个大号收藏夹。Cryptify Hub背后没人教你写合约、做交易、玩空投，只有一堆精心整理的链接。参考价值在于“省时间”，而不在于“给答案”。

  80. An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on this.
    And he in fact ordered me lunch simply because I stumbled upon it for him…
    lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thanks for the meal!!
    But yeah, thanks for spending time to discuss
    this issue here on your website.

  85. Hey there, You’ve performed a fantastic job. I’ll definitely digg it and individually recommend to my friends. I am sure they’ll be benefited from this website.

  88. Howdy! This blog post could not be written any better! Going through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He always kept talking about this. I am going to forward this article to him. Fairly certain he’ll have a great read. Thanks for sharing!

  89. Hello there, You’ve performed a fantastic job. I will certainly digg it and in my opinion recommend to my friends. I am confident they’ll be benefited from this website.

  96. With havin so much written content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright infringement? My blog has a lot of unique content I’ve either written myself or outsourced but it looks like a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my authorization. Do you know any solutions to help stop content from being ripped off? I’d truly appreciate it.

  97. Superb blog! Do you have any hints for aspiring writers? I’m hoping to start my own site soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you advise starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m totally confused .. Any tips? Many thanks!

  98. Hey! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this website? I’m getting fed up of WordPress because I’ve had problems with hackers and I’m looking at alternatives for another platform. I would be great if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.

  104. Simply wish to say your article is as amazing. The clarity in your post is just spectacular and i can assume you’re an expert on this subject. Well with your permission let me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the enjoyable work.

  105. Just want to say your article is as surprising. The clarity in your post is just cool and i can assume you are an expert on this subject. Well with your permission let me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please continue the rewarding work.

  106. Just desire to say your article is as amazing. The clarity in your post is just cool and i could assume you’re an expert on this subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please carry on the enjoyable work.

  107. Yesterday, while I was at work, my cousin stole my iPad and tested to see if it can survive a twenty five foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now broken and she has 83 views. I know this is totally off topic but I had to share it with someone!

  108. The other day, while I was at work, my sister stole my iphone and tested to see if it can survive a 30 foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now destroyed and she has 83 views. I know this is entirely off topic but I had to share it with someone!

  110. Hello there, You’ve done a great job. I will definitely digg it and in my view recommend to my friends. I am confident they will be benefited from this site.

  111. Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of any widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates. I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this. Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.

  117. Aw, this was a very good post. Taking the time and actual effort to produce a top notch article… but what can I say… I put things off a lot and don’t manage to get anything done.

  119. Wow that was strange. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyhow, just wanted to say wonderful blog!

  120. Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of any widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates. I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this. Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.

  121. Hi there, You’ve performed a great job. I’ll definitely digg it and for my part recommend to my friends. I am confident they will be benefited from this web site.

  123. Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of any widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates. I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this. Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.

  125. May I just say what a comfort to find a person that really knows what they are discussing on the internet. You definitely know how to bring a problem to light and make it important. More people really need to read this and understand this side of your story. I was surprised that you are not more popular because you certainly possess the gift.

  127. May I just say what a comfort to find someone that genuinely understands what they’re talking about over the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people have to check this out and understand this side of your story. It’s surprising you are not more popular since you certainly have the gift.

  128. I believe this is one of the so much important information for me. And i am happy reading your article. However want to statement on few general things, The website style is ideal, the articles is actually great : D. Excellent job, cheers

  131. fantastic publish, very informative. I wonder why the other experts of this sector don’t understand this. You should continue your writing. I’m sure, you have a huge readers’ base already!

  132. I was wondering if you ever thought of changing the page layout of your blog? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having one or 2 images. Maybe you could space it out better?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *