Why You Should Double Down On Strengths

Or — The Regret I No Longer Regret

Have you ever been asked…

What advice would you give your 20-year old self?

It was my answer to this question that made me realize the importance of doubling down on your strengths.

My answer was… “I would pay more attention in class.”

I said this because, as a new founder, there’s a lot you have to do that you’ve never done before. Raise money, recruit a team, split equity, acquire customers… just to name a few.

So thinking back to age 20, I realized there were a lot of classes that I missed or didn’t pay attention to, which covered topics any entrepreneur would benefit from.

This is me in ACCT 151

But the more I reflected on this “regret”, the more I realized that it shouldn’t be a regret at all.

Because — fuck that.

I was never the kid to sit in the front row, take diligent notes, and study them again that night. I know and love plenty of those people. But that’s just not me. I’m a different person with a different set of strengths.

So, my retrospective advice was essentially telling myself to not be me. To change fundamental aspects of who I am. And to focus on fixing weaknesses rather than optimizing strengths.

And that’s wrong.

Don’t try to be something you’re not.

Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t learn new things or seek to improve. That’s the opposite of my message here.

I still need to learn those things… but I don’t need to go “deep” on them. Rather, I need to go “shallow” — meaning, I need to understand enough to hang in a conversation and think strategically about it.

Why should I spend half a year of life studying the ins and outs of something that bores the shit out of me and I’ll never use again? Something that I’ll never be, or want to be, great at.

This is not me doing your taxes

This isn’t a post about what to study in college. Study anything that interests you. Learn as much as you can. A topic for another day.

No, this is a post about strengths and weaknesses.

About the difference between going wide and shallow versus narrow and deep. The difference between researching something for an hour versus studying it for 10 years.

As an entrepreneur, a leader, a manager, whatever you are — there are going to be things that you aren’t great at but need to get done. It’s the nature of the work. Does that mean you need to be an expert in all of those things?

Of course not…

That’s why you hire people. Hiring is leverage. You save time by 1) not having to learn it and 2) not having to do it. And you spend that time on things you are great at. Things you are an expert in. Things that you have gone narrow and deep on.

And consequently you find someone really talented, and way better than you, to do those other things. Things they are an expert in. Things they go narrow and deep on.

The point is — Play to your strengths. Understand what they are, focus on mastering them, and use them to your benefit.

Unnecessary image — I just like Legos

Too much is said about needing to have a wide-ranging set of knowledge. Especially in business. Academia has you go wide and shallow rather than narrow and deep.

That’s bullshit.

Wide and shallow makes you decent in all things. Narrow and deep makes you great in one.

In an interview with Jony Ive and JJ Abrams, Jony talks about how they refocused his role at Apple to eliminate managerial work. Around minute 34 he says the following:

“The most valuable contribution I can make to Apple certainly isn’t my administrative prowess.”

And you might think — duh!

You don’t turn Jony Ive into a manager. He’s an incredible designer. Let him design and bring in someone else to manage. Doing the opposite would be a disservice to Jony, the company, and because of Apple’s scope — the world.

He also mentions that now, being fully focused on design, he feels happier and more creative than ever.

This is not your manager

The “play to your strengths” strategy has profound impacts.

It allows you to focus on the things you’re great at. And subsequently creates an organization of high-performing individuals pushing happily in the same direction.

Take this concept and apply it to your own work. But keep in mind — this isstrictly for business. If you’re an asshole, this doesn’t mean you should try to be a bigger asshole.

In your personal life you need to work at your weaknesses. In business you hire for them.

Focus on getting better at what you’re good at.

Because even within your strength, there is weakness.

You can always improve. And your company is better off with you going narrow and deep on that strength and becoming an expert in that field — while everyone else does the same.

It starts with understanding yourself and being incredibly honest with what you’re good at and what you’re not.

Focus on the good and double down. Play to your strengths.

How I Reduced Stress, Increased Productivity, and Made Myself Happy Again

“His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy.
There’s vomit on his sweater already, mom’s spaghetti.
He’s nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready…”
-Eminem, “Lose Yourself”

This was me.

No, I’m not Eminem. And no, I’m not walking around with spaghetti on my sweater. I don’t really even wear sweaters.

But I was dealing with constant feelings of stress and anxiety. Starting a company is fucking hard. There’s no manual for first-time founders.

On the surface I looked and acted as normal as I could. But truthfully, I was overwhelmed.

I was a swelling balloon that never popped. But rather I began to deflate gradually. You don’t recognize it at first. After a while though, you notice something isn’t right.

Me^

It was the way I worked that enabled the worst in my obsession with productivity. An OCD-like infatuation that resulted only in self-sabotage.

It had created an unhappy person obsessed with all of the wrong things about work. An unsustainable modus operandi.

And so I needed a fresh start. I began to embark on a complete reinvention of my operating model. A full reset of the mind and the creation of a new system for doing things.

Fast forward to now…

I’ve gotten more work done this week (it’s Tuesday at 4:30pm) than I would have previously in a 7-day week.

And — I’m not stressed, or anxious, or even close to burned out.

I’m happy. I’m energized. I’m fucking excited.

Here’s how I did it…

1. Start Fresh. Question Everything.

I used to read non-stop about productivity. I still read and experiment with it — only now I have a clearer picture of what it looks like.

Do this, try that. Schedule this, snooze that.

I ended up with so many productivity hacks and exercises that I spent more time on them than actually getting shit done… you know, being productive.

So I dropped it. I dropped it all.

The reminders. The apps. The tasks. The bullshit.

I looked up the definition of productivity. Here’s what I got:

And since I’m not a crop farmer, I decided to define it myself…

Getting shit done that moves things forward

That’s what productivity is.

And with that, I began to build a personalized productivity system from the ground up, with a focus on moving things forward.

For everything I was doing, I would stop and ask,

“Does this move things forward?”

It’s a healthy exercise to do, even if you aren’t struggling the way I was. Audit what you do and ask why you do it. Over time things tend to pile up. It’s important to do some housecleaning once in a while.

So I cleaned house and focused on my new system. One designed to get important things done before dealing with anything else. One designed to optimize my time and my mind.

The rest of the list are the actions that followed…

2. “The Post-it System” and The Death of Digital To-Do Lists.

By questioning everything I did, one thing became abundantly obvious: I needed to stop using Google Inbox.

The reasons are detailed here: “Why I Quit Google Inbox”. And the most common question I’ve gotten since writing that is…

“So what do you do now?”

I use a Post-it note. Just one.

My new system

Digital To-Do lists can be endless. You can put thousands of tasks and reminders in there and have room for millions more.

On a Post-it, I can fit 3.

And so I write on it the three most important things I can do that day. They are prioritized based on their impact; #1 being the most impactful.

“Impactful” meaning it move things forward for the company or for me personally.

In my situation, these two blend…
Company success = personal success
Taking care of myself personally = I perform better for the company

I’m aiming for tangible progress. For movement forward. The Post-it provides the tactics to achieve this.

And notice the list is prioritized. Something digital To-Do lists tend to fall short on. Throwing reminders and tasks into an unordered list makes them all appear equal.

Sure you can call that important client -OR- you could quickly post a photo on the company Instagram. Either way you get the gratification of crossing something off the list. So you are actually incentivized to do the thing that is quick and easy. The reward is the same.

But the results are drastically different.

This mindset compounded over time derails your goals or, at the very least, significantly delays them.

The Post-it System has you force-rank the top three things that you need to get done. It provides focus. It advances your goals. It moves shit forward.

I create it at the end of each day.

And the next morning it sits on my desk, staring judgmentally until I cross off item 1. The visual cue is powerful.

I’m happy when I get to cross something off. It’s gratifying. Pursuing that gratification hungers me to start my day.

This strategy yields incredible results. Rather than trying to “build the wall”, I stay focused on laying bricks. I feel happy and accomplished each time I do. And soon — you start to see a wall forming.

3. The Morning Routine.

The Post-it strategy frames the entire system. Now let’s backtrack to the start of each day.

The first thing I do after getting up is make tea. I switched from regular coffee. While tea doesn’t give me the immediate energy spike, I’ve found it’s a more sustained charge and doesn’t make me crash.

This, coupled with some minor physical exercise (stretching, maybe pushups or squats), wakes my body up and gets my mind going.

Next I meditate for 10 minutes.
(Don’t ignore meditation. I’ve done it for a while and it was important to keep in my routine. I recommend Headspace to start.)

And immediately after that — I write.

I don’t write long but I force myself to get those early thoughts out. Some of the clearest, most creative thinking comes first thing in the morning, when you’re waking up, getting ready, or taking a shower.

It can be a blog post draft, a journal to myself, or some new idea related to work… it doesn’t matter. I want to get these thoughts down.

After all of this, I typically have about an hour before our regular team check-in. I’ll use this time to start, and maybe finish, item 1 on the Post-it.

4. Digging Into The Work.

Now it’s time for our meeting. We try to keep it to 15 minutes or less. Perhaps I’ll have another cup of tea (hardcore, I know).

I take notes during the meeting and catalog any needed followups. If I’m blocking someone — I do that immediately.

This is an important note.
Yes, in this case I am spending time on something that isn’t on the Post-it. But it’s important to get the team mobilized before working on my own tasks. The meeting already forced my mind to switch contexts. So it’s more efficient to stay in that context, take action, and get others moving forward.

Then it’s back to the Post-it.

Now I’m caffeinated, I’m intellectually stimulated, the team is mobilized, and I’m more than ready to tackle my list, one at a time.

Notice — I haven’t checked email yet. It used to be the first thing I did.

That comes only after item 1 is complete. At that time I will check email, take a walk (coupled with scheduled calls), and eat lunch. The afternoon is dedicated to items 2 & 3.

Don’t underestimate the power of walking

After those are done, I check with the team, look at email again, and use all of those inputs to create tomorrow’s list.

This email philosophy is very “Four Hour Workweek”, of course. That book is almost 10 years old but the principles are as sound and relevant as ever.

5. General Rules.

Stop procrastinating. Make decisions and take immediate action. Don’t “snooze” things that need to get done. Force yourself to be decisive — moving important things forward and cutting ruthlessly things that are not.

Prioritize yourself. Make happiness something you work on. It’s a state you achieve, rather than one that magically comes and sustains. Work at it. Take measures to do things that you enjoy and eliminate things you don’t. Be honest with how you feel about doing certain things. Cut out the ones you dislike. Make time for the ones you love.

Get rid of the negatives. This bears repeating. Stop doing shit you hate. Especially unnecessary shit. It can be people, tasks, or activities. Get rid of any that are negative. Any that make you feel bad. Ask yourself if it moves things forward. Ask yourself if you like doing it. It should only be done if the answer to one of those questions is “yes”. And if it does move things forward but you dislike it — perhaps someone can help, or even do it for you.

Set macro goals, create micro systems. My weekly goals became the end of me. I set too many. And many I set were unimportant but existed due to my necessity to be busy. They consumed me. Instead, I now set goals for the year. I then implement systems (a chain of behaviors and actions taken daily or weekly) that further those bigger goals.

Don’t suppress yourself. If there’s something you want to do or an idea you’d love to pursue — try it. Stop any thoughts that come about saying, “you can’t do that because of XYZ.” Stop that. You can. If it’s meaningful, make time for it. Prioritize it. Don’t suppress ideas… explore them fully. Let them run their course. That’s the only way they evolve and grow.

Most of this is simple but eluded me for so long.

I’m glad I’ve made these changes. They’ve had a profound impact on my life, both personally and professionally. But it’s all a work in progress. I’ll always try to improve myself — living in “permanent beta”.

Of course not everyone has the same commitments, goals, or life circumstances. Try your own version of this and see if you have similar results. When it comes to being happy and being productive — there isn’t one true answer. Pick out things you like and ignore things you don’t. If you’re self-aware and always strive to be better… you will.

Why I Quit Google Inbox

“Google Inbox is my life…”

A cringeworthy statement I often said beaming with pride. I was an entrepreneur with “stuff” going on. “I’m busy”, I’d say. As if it was some sort of accomplishment.

How horribly wrong this was…

Earlier this year I decided to reinvent the way I operate. A full restart.

I questioned everything I did and sought to make changes that optimized my effectiveness, efficiency, and overall happiness.
(It’s made a massive difference — post on this coming soon.)

The first thing I did? Quit Google Inbox. And here’s why…

1. To-Do Lists Don’t Belong In Your Inbox.

Let’s backtrack to our world before the Internet. Would you have put your To-Do list in your mailbox? Of course not. That sounds ridiculous.

Those important items belonged on your desk, or maybe even the fridge.

Fridge real estate is important real estate

Mail was meant for a (maybe) once-a-day check to see what had come in. If important, a resulting action from that mail would then be placed on your To-Do list.

2. The Great Bundling of the 2000s.

Enter the Internet. Enter Microsoft Office and, notably, Microsoft Outlook. Soon Outlook became a one-stop stress shop.

Let’s take a tour…

“Hello and welcome! Here you’ll see a mountain of email that need replies. On the left is a calendar that shows you’re booked solid all day. And down there you can see tasks and reminders that actually are important work but, due to the former, you’ll have no time or energy to do.

Now that an overwhelming sense of stress has come over you — let’s spend the five minutes before your next meeting firing off some emotionally-driven emails. Make sure they’re rushed so your anxiety and suppressed rage show through. The resulting miscommunication and confrontation will surely lead to more meetings and email.

Thank you for visiting the Stress Shop… have a terrible day!”

Outlook User

At a glance, coupling mail with tasks and reminders made some sense. Each requires you to take action (although inherently different), and both things could technically be “snoozed” until later.

But this coupling was driven more out of feature expansion than actual productivity thought. The two were soon coupled everywhere, leading up to Google Inbox where they are treated as one in the same.

If you think about it— these two were never meant to be together.

Technology enables us to bundle everything into a screen or an app. While incredible in certain use cases, for others (read: this one), it’s detrimental.

3. Debunking the “I’m Working” Fallacy.

Let’s establish something very basic: mail is NOT work.

Work has forever consisted of certain tasks that need to be completed in order to make progress. AKA “getting shit done” or “moving things forward”.

This is productivity.

Mail, on the other hand, is a communication mechanism. And definitely not the most pressing one (we’ll get to that). Mail has the ability to create tasks for you. But mail itself is not a task.

By constantly checking email you are wasting time that should be spent on productive tasks. This makes you less efficient.

By stopping those productive tasks to check email, you are forcing your brain to switch contexts. This makes you less effective.

Email can wait. Stay focused on real work. You’ll finish in less time (efficient) and create a better result (effective). And yes, I promise— the emails will still be there.

Try unsubscribing from shit

All of this underlines the cultural fascination with constantly “working” and “being busy”. With email being the means to that end.

So an app (Google Inbox) that bundles all of these emails, tasks, and reminders into one place? Gold.

Now back to me…

Every day I would wake up, excited, ready to work. I’d open Inbox to see which tasks and reminders I needed to work on…

…of which there were hundreds.
(A topic for another day. Short version — digital To-Do lists can be harmful because there’s endless space to add things. Limit & prioritize.)

As if this weren’t enough — what do you know? Bolded next to all of those important To-Dos are… 30 new emails!

“Well that one’s from him… I should check it.”
“Oh, she wrote me back? Let’s see what she said.”

This is wrong.

And I can’t stress that enough.

THIS IS WRONG!!!

Better?

Right then and there — my morning was fucked.

I would become incredibly distracted, not focus on the tasks at hand, and get caught up in a bunch of meaningless email.

(It’s incredible how many do this. Recommended: audit the start to your day. The results can be life-changing. Seriously.)

Making things worse, I would read email and often not take action. Or my action would be to “snooze” it.

This is terrible because, when I did respond, I would have to re-read the entire thread and bring myself back into that context. A giant waste of time… since I already read it.

As a rule: Take action on emails when going through them.

You shouldn’t be browsing your inbox. Be decisive.

There are rare cases where snoozing is appropriate. Otherwise, respond or delete. That’s it.

Google Inbox is a beautifully designed product…

But having email live with, and be equal to, a To-Do list is distracting and consequently unproductive.

Luckily we live in a time with phone calls and text messages. We can chat with coworkers on Slack, Skype, or Hangouts. Use these for time-sensitive communication. Not email.

Put your To-Do’s in one place and start the day working on those. Your inbox may pile up, but it’s not going anywhere.

Let the email sit. Focus on getting shit done.

Your Startup Must Be Steph Curry

Startups are fucking hard.

But let’s come back to that.

The oft-quoted stat is that 90% of them fail.

Let’s humanize that a bit.

Imagine that you’re playing somebody 1-on-1 in basketball. First to 10 wins.

And the other team starts with 9… and the ball.

That’s really hard.

First you need to get the ball. Then proceed to score 10 straight times before they do once.

You have to be nearly perfect — if there is such a thing.

Even if you’re talented and playing great, there’s still the off chance that the other team just throws one up. It bounces the wrong way… and goes in.

You lose.

But what if I told you, in this game of 1-on-1, the person with 9 points is a high schooler. And the one with zero is Steph Curry.

Steph is still vulnerable to that high schooler’s one lucky shot. But the odds no longer seem so crazy. In fact, you might assume that Steph will win.

And, as a startup, that’s what you have to be.

You need to be Steph Curry.

You need to have that competitive advantage. You need to be that good. In your product and in your team.

You need to exceptionally talented at your craft, yet still hustle your ass off to become even better.

Because you understand that at any moment, if you let your guard down, you could lose.

And you might say,

“Well obviously not everyone can be Steph Curry.

That’s fucking hard.”

Right.

What Does “Hustle” Really Mean?

Hustle is pursuing your passion when others aren’t.

Hustle is saying no to happy hour to prepare a pitch deck.

Hustle is having support emails sent directly to your personal inbox.

Hustle is waking up early on a Saturday to write a new company blog post.

Hustle is quitting Clash of Clans because it took more than 5 minutes of your day.

Hustle is wearing jeans for a week straight to reduce cognitive load and decision fatigue.

Hustle is skipping dinner and a movie because that $50 is two months of your team’s Github plan.

Hustle is tracking and measuring everything you do to ensure you’re spending time on worthwhile activities.

Hustle is having a constant thirst for knowledge. Doing anything and everything to improve.

And, yeah, sometimes Hustle is physically running to make a meeting on time because “traffic sucked” isn’t an excuse.

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If you’re involved with the startup world, you hear “HUSTLE!” a lot.

It’s become synonymous with entrepreneurship. It’s transitioned from a verb to a mindset. This makes it tough to define.

More important is the objective behind the tactics… To create a value-adding product/service which, consequently, receives ubiquitous adoption. And doing everything you can to make it happen.

Another way of saying this…

Willing something into the world with everything you have

That’s not easy.

Taking something that doesn’t exist… and making it exist.

Making others understand it. Accept it. Adopt and embrace it.

That takes Hustle.

The actions. The mindset. Everything.

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There’s another set of (equally important) actions that people unfortunately don’t talk about as often. The ones that prepare you to Hustle…

The Hustle Prerequisites

Preparing to Hustle is meditating in the morning before checking email.

Preparing to Hustle is walking during calls to stretch your legs and get fresh air.

Preparing to Hustle is stopping work to sleep. Knowing the extra hours at 50% won’t move the needle.

Preparing to Hustle is listening to your body and your mind. And taking care of them both.

Preparing to Hustle is not being afraid to ask for help when you need it.

Preparing to Hustle is not feeling alone. Having a support network cheering you on every step of the way.

Now — stop reading. Go Hustle!

Entrepreneurship is a Pool

You know that moment.

There’s a pool. And some stairs. Maybe a step ladder.

Oh, those dreaded steps

You know it’s going to suck. You skim your big toe across the surface to confirm your greatest fear.

Shit, that’s cold!

Your muscles tense and you propel your weight backwards to remain in the known, safe surroundings. You’re okay here.

This — is entrepreneurship.

(Or really, any new challenge in life.)

The initial reaction of most people is to take it slow. To ease themselves in. We’re hardwired to do this.

When in reality — that’s the worst way.

Don’t be this guy

Anybody who’s been in a cold pool will tell you... the “ease-in” approach isn’t the best strategy.

What do you do instead?

JUMP IN!

Sure it’s scary. Sure there will be that initial shock. It’s inevitable. It’s something new.

But we have this incredible ability to adapt to new circumstances. The faster you throw yourself in, the quicker and easier the adjustment process is.

Do it!

When starting out as an entrepreneur, you have to understand… you’re going to fuck up.

There are going to be pain points. There are going to be shocks. But they’ll be worse and last longer if you only dip your toes in.

So expedite the process.

Accept these as part of your journey. Embrace them.

Tell yourself, “Hey — this is going to suck at first. I’ll need to adjust.”

Then jump in.

CANNONBALL!

Be open to the pain. To learning your new surroundings.

Engulf yourself in the challenge. You’ll adapt much faster.

Anyone who’s ever jumped into a pool will tell you the exact same thing:

“Yeah it’s cold. But you get used it.”

So if you’re looking to start a business, or take on a new challenge, don’t lower yourself in…

DIVE IN BABY!

How To Win Conferences and Build A Healthy Network

I’m the first to admit: Conferences aren’t the best use of a founder’s time.

That time is better spent on things like product, chatting with team members, or talking to users.

However, if you are at a conference, you can still “win”. This meaning— optimizing your time and capturing value.

Charlie’s definition is probably different

There’s two buckets of value you can tap into at conferences: intellectual growth and network growth.

Plenty can be gleaned from sessions and speakers. But talking to people hits on intellectual and network growth at the same time.

So, as a general rule…
Talking to people > Attending every session

With that in mind, here’s how to win at conferences and build a healthy network…

A joke, but seriously — don’t network with bad breath

1) Icebreakers.

So, you’re shy. That’s okay. Start with something light and non-committal for the other person. A favorite is…

Hey — do you know the WiFi password?

Even if you know the answer — play dumb. Let them fill you in.

Thank them and follow up with another light question. Where they’re from, if they’ve been here before, etc. Make it simple to engage while showing you’re genuine and easy to talk to.

2) Patience.

Too many people approach networking thinking, “what can they do for me?”.They quickly believe a person is a waste, dismiss them, and leave.

This is the worst.

It’s amazing the number of times someone said what they do, it sounded irrelevant to me, and 10 minutes later we discover they’re friends with someone strategic to my business.

Super important: DO NOT jump at this point. You’ll come off as needy, disingenuous, and one of those transactional folks you don’t want to be.

Tim Ferriss gave a great talk on this. His key: “Don’t dismiss people, don’t be a dick, and don’t rush.” If this interests you, definitely check it out.

I would totally go to Yoda’s keynote

3) Learn Something.

This clocks in at 3 but it’s far-and-away #1 in terms of importance.

“Learn Something” should be your mindset every single time you meet someone new.

Seriously — every time.

When you’re in this mindset, people can sense it. They see you’re engaged and legitimately interested in what they have to say.

It’s a positive approach because 1) you continue to learn new things from new people and 2) they get to teach it to you.

People love that. They love being the expert and telling others what they should do (see: blogging 😉). It makes them feel smart, valuable, and liked. That’s primal shit right there.

4) Interview Them & Shut Up.

Take the focus off yourself. Comment when necessary but, otherwise, keep your answers short and your questions plenty. Listen.

Ask people about their lives and opinions… and then shut up. Nobody cares about you. Let them talk about themselves. They like that topic way better.

This is you. At a conference. With less chocolate.

Extra Credit: Spot Other Connectors.

Prerequisite reading: “Are you a Connector?” by Malcolm Gladwell.

If you spot others around you deploying similar tactics — seek them out.

1. The probability of them engaging with you is high.
2. They are clearly interested in making new connections.
3. It’s likely they already have an extensive network that you can soon be a node in. Network effects are beautiful.

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Your Healthy Network

So you met great people and you’ve left the conference. Now you need to translate that work into active members of your network…

Insert archetypal network image

The post title describes the network as being “healthy”. Indeed, that is the operative word. But what does it mean?

They are truly part of your network.

It wouldn’t be weird to message them and say “what’s up”. To ask them for a favor. Or to make an intro (double opt-in of course!).

Connecting on LinkedIn doesn’t count. “John and I follow each other on Twitter”, isn’t a true network connection.

Your network must be stronger than these buttons

Create meaningful relationships where you can learn from one another, be friendly with each other, and leverage both networks for mutual benefit.

A healthy network is only built by treating nodes like personal relationships rather than business transactions.

Finally, when your network is healthy and growing…
PROTECT IT!

Leverage it when needed but always take care of it.

Make it a goal to give more to it than you take out of it.

Your reputation, your business, and your relationships depend on it.

So win conferences. Build a healthy network. Care for, help, and protect that network… Now go!

Deliver On Your Bullshit

A lot of people are focused on bullshit.

And don’t misunderstand — the bullshit matters.

That pitch you gave. The awesome perks and culture you promise recruits.That edgy marketing copy you put on your Product Hunt post. All different forms of bullshit.

FYI — Lysol won’t help

Bullshit creates expectations, and that’s why it matters.

You need to deliver. Or better yet, over-deliver.

Promise users X and Y? They better be there when a user tries your product. Plus feature Z as a cherry on top.

Good bullshit with no delivery will lead to awesome surface-level metrics, with no real substance behind them.

Don’t get lost in the number of hits, downloads, or registrations there are. Look deeper down the funnel. How many of those people actually stayed and used the product? How many would recommend it to a friend?

There is an enormous amount of money spent marketing shitty products.Pump the brakes and focus on what really matters— the value you provide to people.

Things a startup should not do

Nobody cares that your Facebook ad has a 40% conversion rate if no users stick around after clicking. It means you have a pretty picture and some good bullshit… and nothing to back it up.

For those who use and like your product: Ask them what they like and why they like it. Optimize on things that are working.

Then flip it and ask all the people who dropped or became inactive what they didn’t like. What turned them off? Why didn’t they come back?

You were able to draw them in, but there was something you didn’t deliver on. What was it?

Deliver. On. Your. Bullshit.

If you don’t, you’ll churn and burn. If you do, you’ll learn and earn.

The City That’s Never Cheap

Renting in New York sucks.

This isn’t news — ask anyone who lives here.

70% of New Yorkers rent. It’s a process we all begrudgingly go through. Because it sucks. Here’s why:

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Illustration of NYC rental market

1. Cost

Renting here is crazy expensive with the average currently at $4,000 a month. Add a 15% broker fee (average of $7,200) and the total spend becomes unaffordable.

2. Scheduling

The constant back-and-forth over Gmail is difficult to manage. If you have even one roommate, you end up balancing your schedule, their schedule, a broker’s schedule, and the building’s schedule. Not cool.

3. Headaches

The horror stories of NYC apartment searches are legendary. From the classic “Bait-and-Switch” technique to the “pre-war gem with character”. You don’t need games — you need a place.

Finding your new home shouldn’t be so painful. It’s a burden on your brain, your time, and most importantly — your wallet. But there is another way. And no, it’s not posting on Facebook…

“Hey NYC Friends! Moving to you in a month. Know any good brokers who take a lower fee?!”

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SURPRISE!

No-Fee Apartments Exist!

I know, right?

That’s right. Apartments… without fees. But how?

By going directly to the property managers, that’s how. The real estate sites you visit today are ad-based. You hit the page, they make money, and you’re handed off to a broker who then brings you to the property manager.

“Couldn’t I just go to the property manager myself?” -You, right now

You sure can. Oh, and they even have Leasing Agents who are there to show and rent you the place. Pretty awesome, right?

It is awesome. There’s just a couple issues. First, you don’t know who the property managers are. And second, they’re limited because they only have their own listings. So even if you took the time, did the research, and found their site… they may not have apartments for you. Time wasted.

But if you put all these type of listings together on one platform… wouldn’t that be sweet?

Thanks Spidey

Yes, it would.

And that’s why we created Abode. Abode connects you directly to those awesome Leasing Agents with the no-fee apartments. It’s pretty great.

Here’s Abode
in 59 seconds…

TL;DR = watch video

Built by renters, for renters — Abode makes renting in New York City suck way less and rule way more. Let’s look again at our list above:

When you use Abode to find a place

1. Cost

Duh… no-fee means your total spend goes way down. The average NYC renter saves $7,200. That’s 1,387 Shake Shack burgers. Or like — three drinks at a bar.

2. Scheduling

Eliminate one schedule from the equation and things get a lot easier. The process is cleaner when it only involves the person viewing the apartment and the person showing it.

3. Headaches

You know what you’re seeing, when you’re seeing it, and you’re talking directly to the person who will rent it to you. It’s basically Advil for real estate.

The agency model was created in a world before the internet. It’s time we used technology to make this process more intelligent.

Your wallet will thank you.

If NFL Teams Were Tech Companies

Every year Forbes releases the value of every NFL team. It’s an annual reminder that these are massive organizations that turn huge profits.

But we never really think of them as companies. Their valuations don’t correlate with their win-loss records, or even the “product” they’re about to put out. In fact, many of the richest teams have been awful in recent seasons. Instead, it is past success and sheer volume of fans that leads to ticket/merchandise sales, TV deals, and corporate sponsorships.

Strange as it sounds, that’s how the NFL (and all sports for that matter) operates. But what if the NFL operated like other companies? Particularly those in the fast-paced tech industry.

Well, here’s what it would be like if NFL teams were tech companies…

NFC West

It's nice at the top.

Seattle Seahawks = Facebook
You have to start with the champs. These guys are winning and everyone is wondering if they can take that next step: dynasty. Both organizations have strong, likable leadership and, despite bumps in the road, find themselves on top. Facebook’s stock hits a new high every day and the young Hawks are poised for another deep playoff run.

San Francisco 49ers = Twitter
At this point we can see they are a force to be reckoned with. They’ve validated their concept and figured out their quarterback situation (Kaepernick vs Smith & Costolo vs Williams/Dorsey). Now everyone wants to see them prove they can win in the postseason and post-IPO.

Arizona Cardinals = eBay
The Cards had a quiet 10 wins last year, but suffered from being in the league’s best division. eBay, similarly, is in a much better position today than two years prior. They haven’t been noisy in the process but watch out for them moving forward.

St. Louis Rams = Yelp
You have to feel for the Rams. It’s not that things are necessarily “bad”, but how can you expect Sam Bradford (now his third-string backup) to win this division? The Rams are the pigskin version of Yelp because they canrecommend good football… they just can’t play it.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys = Microsoft
Dominant in the 90s, this team has struggled to find any sort of success in the modern era. The Cowboys are still the league’s most valuable team, just as Microsoft still has a ton of money. Maybe this is the year things turn in the right direction…

New York Giants = IBM
On the contrary, “Big Blue” isn’t living in the past. They’ve found consistent success through the years, but still need to find ways to remain relevant in their ever-changing environment. Even IBM Watson knows Eli needs to stop throwing picks.

Washington Redskins = Yahoo!
Here’s another group that still boasts its past success, but has at least brought in new leadership attempting to regain their old form. It all sounds good, but results have been up and [mostly] down thus far.

Philadelphia Eagles = BuzzFeed
They’re flashy and fun to watch… but is there any real substance there? The Chip Kelly and Jonah Peretti models have both proven to be disruptive, but they also make way for serious questions regarding sustainability. Time will tell.

NFC North

The Pack own the North like Google owns search.

Green Bay Packers = Google
Dominant since their inception, it’s no surprise we continue to see them as a top player. They’ve always had the best solution for the key position (QB/search) and this will keep them contending for years to come.

Chicago Bears = Dropbox
Everything looks good and seems to work… but can they take that next step? For Chicago it’s overcoming defensive struggles to return to the playoffs and for Dropbox it’s becoming a public company. The pieces are in place for both to happen — it’s a matter of timing at this point.
Side note: How is it that the Bears’ head coach looks nerdier than the CEO of a file-sharing company? Just sayin…

Detroit Lions = YouTube
They have awesome stuff and are fun to watch. But there’s also a lot of ugly stuff to watch. Can they ever supersede their parent (Packers/Google)? I’m not sure. But I am sure I’m getting more 30 second ads and less “Skip in 5 seconds” on YouTube, which isn’t cool. #SaveSkipIn5

Minnesota Vikings = Quora
You like what they’re doing and you’re interested to see where it goes, but in the end… you’re left with just questions. Realistically it’ll be a few years until they contend, but the talent and building blocks are in place.

NFC South

Carolina Panthers = Airbnb
The hype machine is real. Wildly successful in the past year, it seems the sky is the limit for them. That doesn’t mean there won’t be roadblocks — read: the WR position for the Panthers and NYC legal battles for Airbnb.

New Orleans Saints = Amazon
An offensive juggernaut, their arsenal of weapons makes them very tough for any opponent to to stop. They’re aggressive and can back it up. If their defense shows up on Sundays, they’ll continue to be a perennial monster.

Atlanta Falcons = Groupon
These guys came storming out of the gates. Groupon was a hit right after launch and the Falcons won 56 games in the first 5 years of the Matt Ryan/Mike Smith regime. But both hit rock bottom last year: Atlanta went 4–12 and Groupon is trading at $6 after ousting their CEO.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers = Dell
Recent history hasn’t been kind to this pair. Struggling against stronger competition, both are hoping a return to roots can help right the ship. Lovie Smith was hired as the head coach in Tampa, the place he began his NFL coaching career. And Michael Dell took back his company with a $25B leveraged buyout.

AFC West

Denver Broncos = Netflix
The hot and trendy pick, these guys have loaded up again for 2014. There is a lot to like about their leadership and the model they’ve put in place. The Netflix stock is at an all-time high and the Broncos look even better than last year’s record-breaking team. Orange is the new Black.

San Diego Chargers = Snapchat
They’re cool, flashy, and a bit cocky. Despite a very competitive space (AFC West & social networking), these guys have found a spot. San Diego snuck in and won a playoff game last year. Snapchat turned down huge buyout offersto create their own destiny. Now they’re trying to show they can hang with the big boys.

Kansas City Chiefs = Uber
Talk about rising from nothing to something. Uber was an overnight success, while the Chiefs went from being the league’s worst team to starting 9–0 under Andy Reid, who looks like he might be an Uber driver. The question for both groups is — are they overvalued or can they sustain their early success?

Oakland Raiders = Pandora
What to make of these guys? The concept is intriguing — no doubt. It’s based on all these old things we are familiar with. And each individual piece has merit… But, with nothing excitingly new, it seems I continue to hit “Next”.

AFC East

New England Patriots = Apple
Love them or hate them, they’re a classy organization that always puts forth a great product. People like to question “if they still have it”, but year-in and year-out they prove they do. 2014 should be no different.

New York Jets = Beats
Although they’re not the best on the market, they’re certainly talked about the most. With a lot of name recognition and a solid product, it’s easy to see why people can get excited. But when it really comes down to it… they’re still owned by (Big) Apple.

Miami Dolphins = Shazam
Where do they go from here? I’m not sure anyone has that answer. Both recently made a change in leadership, but questions remain as to how they can grow. The Fins are most like Shazam though, because I hear a lot of noise — I just can’t make sense of it.

Buffalo Bills = Samsung
All of the individual pieces look really shiny and nice, but they can never seem to beat Apple. iPhone still owns over 41% of the smartphone market [as of March], with Samsung trailing at 27%. And the Bills are 2–25 against the Pats in the last 10 years. “The Next Big Thing” just isn’t that big yet.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens = HBO
With a strong history, nobody is questioning these guys have what it takes to be successful in the future. But a changing landscape is forcing them to adapt. HBO needs to become more technology-driven, while the Ravens must be able to hang in an offensively-focused NFL (see: Netflix/Broncos).

Pittsburgh Steelers = Linkedin
Here you have a solid foundation that has been built over the years with great vision and leadership. Linkedin has been a force since they started and the Steelers haven’t had a losing season in the Big Ben era — going on 10 years. That’s the kind of sustained success you want in an organization.

Cincinnati Bengals = WhatsApp
There is no denying how well their model has worked in recent years. WhatsApp has grown at a ridiculous pace, while the Bengals have made the playoffs every year since drafting Andy Dalton. But — was it worth ALL THAT MONEY?! Facebook acquired WhatsApp for $19B and Cincy handed Dalton a $115M deal… #smh

Cleveland Browns = Tinder
This one is simple. The Browns keep swiping left on quarterbacks. By my count they’ve had 20 different starters in 15 years. Not ideal. That coupled with the Johnny Football circus makes for a messy situation. Coincidentally, like Manziel, Brady Quinn and Brandon Weeden were both selected 22nd overall by Cleveland. Maybe third time’s the charm…

AFC South

Jacksonville Jaguars = Instagram
With Gus Bradley as head coach, the Jags are trying to be the Seahawks of the east. While Seattle (Facebook) is clearly the big brother here — they’refeeding talent to their sibling. However, it will take Blake Bortles developing like Russell Wilson to truly complete the transformation.

Indianapolis Colts = Oracle
It seems they’ve been around forever, and are always in the mix; winning one here and there. They grow by acquisition — some don’t turn out well (Trent Richardson), others make them relevant all over again (Andrew Luck). Don’t expect them to go away any time soon.

Tennessee Titans = Sony
When you look at this group, you can’t argue that there are some nice pieces in place. But what does their future look like? Interestingly, Sony’s stock was at an all-time high when the Titans were in the Super Bowl (1999–2000). It’s been steadily downhill for both groups ever since.

Houston Texans = Square
Expectations were high last year, but the results were disappointing. Things looked great on paper but Houston won just two games, while Square lost $100M. It’s tough to pinpoint a single reason on either side, but needless to say, each organization is looking to reinvent themselves.

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Fortunately: football teams are not like tech companies.

We don’t treat tech companies like that. Unless it’s Apple.

It’s our insane passion and loyalty towards our favorite teams that leads us to tune in, buy jerseys, and read stories like this…

And that’s exactly how it should be.

All illustrations by John Martz

Dear Customer, Suck It.

The Time Warner Cable Mission Statement

I’m annoyed. Like, really annoyed.

And it’s because of Monopoly.

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No, not him. Them…

Frustration is aching at my bones to the point where I feel the need to write this post. So here, Internet, is an account of my last 120 minutes:

Minute 0

Browsing cable/internet packages on Time Warner’s website, I think, “Man, they don’t make this very intuitive. Let me just call and straighten this out with someone.”

I call the number listed on the screen.

Minute 1

I’m presented with a menu and asked to answer some questions. Pretty standard stuff. And, after a few responses, I get to talking with a real person.

Not bad guys, not bad at all…

We go through the process of giving name, address, contact info, etc. Now it’s time to figure out the package.

Minute 8

I’ve laid out the requirements, which he seems to be inputting into a system, and he responds with two different options.

Both of these options are completely different than what I was presented on their website. Hmmm... Curious.

One option is $126 per month. The second is $133, with better internet. Okay, let’s take that one. Buffering sucks.

“No problem, sir. Let me set this up. One moment, please.”

Minute 20

“Hello, sir?”

Yes, I’m still here. And I’m told that there will be an installation fee of $9.99 for the internet service. Okay, sure.

“Okay let’s schedule this… One moment, please.”

Minute 35

I’m graciously thanked for my patience, although I’m given no reason for the wait. He kindly lays out some options for when I can have the installation done. We agree on Friday at 10am.

“Great, thank you. Let me finish putting your order together. One moment, please.”

Minute 50

I’m at work and multitasking all the way through, so honestly, the wait hasn’t bothered me to this point. But having been on the phone for 50 minutes, I’m starting to wonder…

“Hey, I’m just curious as to what the wait has been for. I’ve been on the phone for almost an hour now.”

“My apologies sir, we are having issues with our system here. However, I am finalizing your order and wanted to let you know that the activation fee is actually $99.99. I apologize for the mix-up.”

Yeah, that “installation fee” is now an “activation fee” and is 10x the price originally given. He blames his own negligence. Okay, fine, I can live with that.

Let’s move this along, I have things to do….

“So you will have to pay that cost, along with the one-time fee for the cable boxes, up front. And your final package price is $144 a month.”

Whoa, whoa, whoa… Let’s back that up. I can forgive fudging the fee, but the monthly price is now $11 more than you had told me before. I ask him if he can review the order for me to clarify.

I’m put on hold. “One moment, please…”

Minute 65

The man has been nice, so I don’t want to take my frustration out on him. Time to tweet.

@TWC been on phone for over an HOUR (still on) to simply place an order to BUY YOUR PRODUCT. Worst. Buying. Experience. Ever.

— Adam Pittenger (@apitt24) March 25, 2014

Realizing I should have written Time Warner’s “Help” account, I loop them into my tweet, hoping for some sort of explanation.

Minute 70

The rep returns to the phone and recites two numbers to me. My order number and my account number. Both are 16 digits long, and it wasn’t exactly easy to understand.

I ask him to send over the package to me in an email so I can review, and given the time I’ve waited, request that he stay on the line with me. He does.

Minute 75

We wait together, as the email isn’t coming through. He recites my email address back to me and claims to try again multiple times.

I get four emails in this time, but none from Time Warner.

My patience is wearing thin and I tell him that this isn’t a reflection of him, but I’d like to speak with his supervisor to understand what is going on.

Minute 85

I get in touch with the supervisor who recites my email address back to me. It’s correct. He says that I should receive it within 24 hours.

My explanation of how unacceptable this is doesn’t seem to be getting me the email any faster. So I request that he read the entire order to me, in an attempt to confirm over the phone.

He recites the order, which is correct, and tells me my monthly total is $155 and that installation is set for Friday, from 11am-12pm.

This didn’t sit well with me, and I ask him why the previous representative told me a different number and time.

“One moment, please…”

Minute 90

Cut to: Twitter.

I get a reply from TW’s Help account, telling me that they can escalate the issue and have someone call me back.

I trust nobody can blame me for not taking them at their word and I decide to stay on the call I’ve already invested 90 minutes into. I tweet back…

@TWC_Help on w/supervisor which has proven more confusing & unhelpful. Price continues to rise arbitrarily. On for 90mins & counting...

— Adam Pittenger (@apitt24) March 25, 2014

They reply quickly…

@apitt24 As I said, I am happy to escalate this issue for a call back if you would like. Turn around time is 1-3 business days ^MO

— TWC Help (@TWC_Help) March 25, 2014

Ah yes, I’d love to give up on this 100 minute phone call so that someone from the Department of Incompetence can call me back to do it again in 1-3 business days.

Minute 100

The supervisor returns and apologizes for the poor experience I’ve had. He tells me that he doesn’t have the authority to remedy the situation and/or give me discount.

That, I’m told, can only be done by “Customer Care”. He says he will transfer me.

“One moment, please…”

Minute 104

After listening to four minutes of an unbearable tune I can only describe as “elevator music meets Skrillex”, a voice comes on the line. It’s a machine.

“We’re sorry that we are unable to hear you at the moment. We will now hang up. Please try calling back another time.”

Click.

Seriously though… click.

Silence. Unbelievable, blood pressure-raising silence.

And the only question I’m left with, is — why? Why did this happen?

South Park’s take on the matter

Because I have no choice.

Time Warner Cable has a monopoly on my apartment building, as it does most of New York City and a lot of our country. I literally cannot go to another provider. Short of hiring live entertainment every night (I’m debating), this is my only option.

Monopolies cripple the customer.

A monopoly like the one Time Warner Cable has does two things. First, it devalues the customer experience. “Why give a shit? They have to buy from us.”

And second, it completely halts innovation. There’s no reason to innovate when there’s no competition.

So not only does it suck now, but it’s not going to get better.

So what can I do?

Well for one, I’m praying that Comcast’s acquisition of Time Warner Cable will help things. But that seems a bit optimistic.

Next, there’s hoping that Verizon Fios (much better service) can expand more rapidly. Again, optimistic.

Or how about getting Google Fiber wired up over here?! Yeah… not quite yet.

The answer really is — nothing. I, and all consumers, have no power in this situation because of the monopolistic circumstances we find this [extremely important and relevant] industry to be in. My only hope is that others read this, can relate, and cause enough raucous for there to be actual change.

But again… optimistic.

So what I’ll do is wait.

Wait and wait for that email to come in (still hasn’t), because who the hell knows what the new cost and date of my installation will be. I sure don’t.

And I’m pretty sure nobody at Time Warner Cable does either…

Love what you build. Build what you love.

10 things Product Managers must do

I love being a Product Manager.

Hunter Walk defines product management as being where Science meets Art. He's right. It's a unique role in that it touches on all aspects of a business. Ty Ahmad-Taylor elaborates further, explaining:

“Product lies at the intersection of business, design and engineering. It is your role to educate business people about design and engineering, engineers about business and design, designers about engineering and business.”

Throughout the process you read a ton of email, look at many screens, and create relationships with a lot of awesome people. Yet through it all, there remains one constant: the product.

The product is your baby. You must keep its interests at heart, make it look nice, ensure it grows and matures, and (of course) tell the world how great it is.

Everyone can keep learning and improving; I strive to do so every day. But in my time working in the profession (building software specifically), here are 10 things I believe Product Managers must do:

1) Own the story.

Products need a story and the PM is the Chief Storyteller. All product strategy depends on the story you’re trying to tell. It informs what you build, when you build it, and how you go to market. In support of the story, should be an elevator pitch. Be able to describe and sell your product's value with one sentence.

2) Know your user.

Inside and out. Beyond testing and generally speaking to the user base, you should be one. Constantly play with the product and understand every different use case.

YouTube's growth is a case study in knowing your user.

Of even greater importance is togo where your users are. After being acquired by Google,YouTube famously prioritized Facebook features and an iOS app over integrating with other Google products internally. They understood, that for the product to be successful, they had to be everywhere their users were (on Facebook and iPhones).

3) Help your team.

As Ty Ahmad-Taylor’s quote above alludes to, it’s extremely important to help your product team. That means everyone: engineers, designers, QA, sales, marketing, leadership, business development, support, legal, etc.

It’s up to the Product Manager (otherwise known as the “product owner”) to create and communicate a unified vision. And more importantly, to motivate each individual to achieve the goals of the greater team.

“Here’s where we are. Here’s where we are going. And here’s how we’ll get there.”

4) Be a curator.

Having a role that deals with all aspects of a business, naturally lends itself to collecting tons of product feedback. With such a position comes the responsibility of prioritization.

All things considered, how do we rank these opportunities and investments?

This means looking at the existing strategy combined with direct user input, ideas from the development and design teams, market demand and feedback, and the competitive landscape. That all creates a backlog of features that the PM must spec out and prioritize based on the time and resources available.

5) Be the decider.

The PM is often referred to as the “CEO of the product”. I agree with this, to an extent. It’s really the job of the PM to ensure collaboration, although not consensus. For the betterment of the product, it’s important to listen to all opinions and allow everyone to be heard.

But in the face of disagreement, there needs to be a decider. A tiebreaker. As the product owner, the PM is the person to say “yes”, “no”, or “not just yet”. Whatever the verdict is, be sure everyone understands the decision-making process. That creates transparency, trust, and a more collaborative environment.

6) Focus on design.

The famous quote from Steve Jobs says, “Design is not just what it looks like. Design is how it works.” He couldn’t be more right. Design is massively important at an aesthetic, as well as a functional level.

A product team should work backwards from the user's goal. It should focus on solving complexities on the back-end, in order to make things incredibly easy on the front-end. Minimalism is beautiful and simplicity wins.

7) Execution.

Simple. Lay forth the goals and features that allow you to attain the aforementioned strategy. Write the requirements for those and, based on time and resources, execute them with your team.

There will be edge cases that come up along the way, and it’s important to work with the dev team to iron those out together. Get their input, see what they think, but ultimately be the decider. Make a neutral decision. Whatever is best for the product.

8) Ship!

This is huge, and yet, understated. It is kind of assumed that a product team will ship, but that’s not true. It’s crucial to set a release date because it truly reinforces all of the above. When there’s a deadline, suddenly it becomes easier to prioritize the backlog… what is really needed for version 1? The team focuses and creates realistic estimates they can deliver on.

Ultimately, it’s your job to get the product to your users. Speed counts. Build fast, release quickly, and…

9) Test & Measure.

Building fast and releasing quickly is only valuable if you’re measuring the results. One form of measuring is what I alluded to earlier. What are your users saying? How are they responding to new features?

However, it’s essential to measure not only what they say, but what they do. How do they respond to a specific screen? Are they doing what you hoped? Does a change in copy or design influence their behavior? Test. Measure. And build accordingly.

10) Love what you build. Build what you love.

This ties into all of the above. You need to be passionate. You need to love it. Live it. Without that, there’s not much else. Without that, you won’t build anything great.

If the product is truly going to be your baby, then you need to love what it is. Yet, strive to make it better. Take joy in doing so. Place your name on it. Put your reputation on the line. Love what you build, and build what you love.

To me, that’s product management. That’s the epitome of the profession I love and live every day. Over time, I’ll continue to learn and get better at it. But these are the principles I will continue to guide myself by.

Back to work...

Don’t Make Tuna Fish

The worst advice often given to entrepreneurs

We've all heard it many times.

Someone is discussing a startup success story or simply giving entrepreneurial advice, and they say…

“It’s all about the execution.”

Ugh.

Don’t get me wrong — execution matters. A lot. But when others proclaim it to be the sole criteria for success (or lack thereof), I cringe.

The idea is what matters. The execution of that idea is what will differentiate you in the market. And while that’s a significant factor in determining a product’s success, a pretty user interface means nothing if there are no users.

It’s the equivalent of having a world-class chef make me a plate of tuna fish. They could prepare it to perfection, lay it out beautifully on a dish, and serve it to me at just the right temperature. The execution is there. But at the end of the day, I still don’t like tuna fish.

The same goes for building products.

In my last post I focused on the “Just Start” concept. But that doesn't mean you should blindly pursue any idea that pops into your head. It means, do your homework. When there’s an idea you’re passionate about, that you feel is worth pursuing — then, just start and see where it takes you.

Do tons of customer discovery. Lay out your riskiest assumptions. Test your hypotheses. Validate them. Or, maybe come to find that they’re totally unfounded and you need to move in a new direction.

That is what The Lean Startup is based on (read it, if you haven’t). Don’t spend massive amounts of time and effort building something because someone told you, “it’s all about the execution.”

Principles of "The Lean Startup"

Ideas matter. Plain and simple. While there can and will be new ideas, more often than not, you’re going to build upon some form of existing demand. Something already in the market tells you 1) “people would want this other thing”, 2) “there’s an opportunity they’re missing here”, or 3) “we can do that in a much better way”.

All the execution in the world won’t help you if nobody wants the end result.

Test your idea. Confirm that it provides value people are seeking. Then, and only then, is it about the execution.

That’s the time to focus intensely on building a product and an experience that delivers said value in a compelling way. Once you’re building something people actually want. Or more simply put…

Don’t make tuna fish.

Just Start

Why getting started is your biggest obstacle

Some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something. Unless you live so cautiously, that you might as well not have lived at all. In which case, you’ve failed by default. -JK Rowling

“Where do I start?”

It’s the question that everyone with writer’s block faces. But this idea isn’t exclusive to writing. It takes place everywhere: building a business, creating a product, learning a new skill.

The trick? Just start.

Honestly I had no idea how this post would take shape when I began typing. In fact, I went through a few different topics and iterations before finally landing here. But I started, and that’s how I’ll finish.

Simply starting to type, code, design, whatever it is that you’re doing, is so powerful because it forces your brain to think. This condition we label “writer’s block” is only a block because your thought process continues to run into a wall. You’re not embarking on any exercise that pushes your mind to go beyond its initial set of thoughts. You’ve limited yourself.

The proposition of actually starting is so daunting for many people that, in the end, they never do. It remains an interesting thought or idea they once had but never pursued. This phenomena is similar to what Paul Graham describes as the “schlep filter” in his post How to Get Startup Ideas.

In short — many people don’t go after a market opportunity simply because they think it’s too hard.

But why? What’s the point? Anything worth pursuing in life is going to require effort. Once you face that inevitable reality, the prospect of rolling up your sleeves seems less like a giant task and more like a logical next step.

Getting started creates a waterfall effect in your brain that pushes you to keep at it and follow through with your ideas. Never doing so decreases the probability that you’ll succeed. Doing so and failing, or finding out it’s not worth taking further, leaves you exactly where you were before — but you’ve learned something that you can leverage the next time you start.

Michael Scott starting his own company.

The often-used quote by Wayne Gretzky is, “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. It’s incredibly simple and obvious, but powerful. Yet it’s amazing how many people don’t follow it. Force yourself to take that first step. To take that shot.

For me, I brought myself to start this post. And so here I am, finishing it. What are you doing still reading? Go… Get out of here.

Just start.