Harnessing Experience at a Fraction of the Cost
As a startup, one of the most important decisions you can make is ensuring you have access to experienced technical leadership. While hiring a full-time CTO can be expensive, there’s a better alternative than going it alone: the fractional CTO.
Five Years of Giving Dangerously
Who Cares if it Scales?
Across the country, in every accelerator, exec team meeting, advisor session, and board meeting, startups are asked the same question:
“But how will it scale?”
My answer: “Who cares?”
Startups: You Don’t Need a CTO (Yet)
Introduction
We’ve all heard the story: two brilliant founders have an idea that will change the world. They gather a dedicated group of early employees/stock option holders around them and, through sheer grit, determination, and HUSTLE, they disrupt an industry and become billionaires in the process. The moral of the story: anyone with a good idea and the willingness to sacrifice everything on the altar of Hustle can become a success and the envy of their graduating class at the next reunion.
Except… that isn’t really true, is it? Every year, hundreds of thousands of technology startups fail, and of those that survive only a tiny percentage ever reach unicorn status. And those hustle-filled origin stories? Well, they’re not 100% factual, either: multiple studies and books have shown that luck plays a significant role in every company’s success.
Here's the problem: hustle can’t cure dumb, and dumb hustling just accelerates a startup’s death spiral.
In reality, every startup brings extremely limited resources into a market already occupied by well-funded competitors. Even if you have an idea that no one has ever seen before — and therefore no competition — the moment you show any success you’ll see five copycats pop up carrying bags of VC money. Every moment is a precious resource in a startup.
Hustle can’t cure dumb, and dumb hustling just accelerates a startup’s death spiral.
Stop Buying into the Hustle Myth
First, don’t buy into the Hustle Myth and don’t peddle that poison to your team.
Stop saying, “We’ll win because we want it more than they do!” Start saying, “We’ll win because we understand our market better than anyone else and we know where the pressure points are.”
Stop glamorizing late nights and 24-hour Slack debates and start making room for rest and refreshment.
Next, Stop Hustling and Start Thinking
What’s the highest and best use of your company’s time today? Do you know the difference between must do’s, should do’s, and could do’s?
Where is your company going? Is that dream still alive, and is it the right one?
How do you respond when things go wrong? What metrics will you use to validate or invalidate a decision?
Finally, Recognize That We Work Better When Work Isn’t Everything
We need to recognize that, in many instances, passion and ingenuity without thoughtful management lead only to burnout. This leads to a toxic startup culture that can stifle creativity and productivity.
The Importance of Generosity in Work
Giving is a way of life in my family. It's important to be more than good people; we want to be a blessing to the world. However, work should reflect this principle as well. Being generously intentional at work, looking to help uplift others, enhances not only our work culture but our own productivity and happiness.
The startup life is great. How can we make it better? By recognizing that balance, empathy, and shared goals are key to sustained success.