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Life is too short to work at a boring company
NetDays & FICOD | October 6, 2011
We Believe:
1. What Startup Life is like2. Game3. MVP’s4. Multidisciplinary learning5. Starting6. Questions
What I’d wish I’d known
Background
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StartupDigest
StartupDigestMission: Get more people
involved in the tech startup world.
Startu
pSo
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NYCDesi
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Gaming
Retail
London
Health
Educati
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Wash
ington DC
Paris
IndiaBizd
ev
Toro
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Marketi
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Shan
ghai
Beijing
Sydney
San Dieg
o
Philadelp
hia
Baltimore
Montreal
Dallas
Copenhag
en Italy
Silico
n Prairie
Cape T
own
Indianap
olis
Buenos A
ires
Pittsburgh
New O
rlean
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Malaysi
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Portlan
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Michiga
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Netherl
ands
Lexingto
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Cincinnati
Barcelo
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Fun part of Startup Life
Learn
Normal Path
Entrepreneurship
Game:Half Baked
Minimal Viable Product
Absolute simplest & efficient way to test a hypothesis.
while Traction is not True:Idea = HypothesisExperiment = MarketTraction = True or FalseIdea + Experiment = Traction
Caution
MVP is not a startup, it’s step 0
“The internet means you don’t have to convince anyone else that something is a good idea before you try it”
- Scott Bradner, former trustee of the Internet Society
Entrepreneurship is a game about
learning
Multidisciplinary
Math student, Math graduate, Math post-doc.
Everything will look like a math problem to you.
This is not true.
Multidisciplinary
1. Engineering• Computer science, Thermodynamics
2. Design• Contrast, alignment,
3. Psychology• Social proof, reciprocity
4. Mathematics• Statistics, power law,
5. Business• Accounting, economics
Engineering*
Easier: Engineering > BusinessHarder: Business > Engineering
Absolute must if you are starting an internet
company
Best way to learn new skills
• Khanacademy.com
Economically, startups should
not exist.
Don’t start a company for the sake of it
1. Most companies do not look very impressive when they start
2. Have a personal attachment to what you’re doing (passionate)
3. Don’t start a company, let the company find you
Most companies do not look very impressive when they start
Most companies do not look very impressive when they start
Most companies do not look very impressive when they start
Have personal attachment
Don’t start a company, let the company find you.
Action Items
1. Learn something completely outside your skillset through Khan Academy or a class
2. Try one Minimal Viable Product
3. Work at something you are excited about now (or if in school this summer)
Do I need to move to Silicon Valley?
What is traction?
Do I need to raise money? What’s next after the MVP?
How do I learn about new subjects?
How do I learn programming?
Who taught you the multidisciplinary learning?
What if my advisors won’t let me take other classes?
How else can I get started now?
How does SD make money?
Bias’
• High growth startups• Tech startups• Live in Silicon Valley• Founder, not an educator• Always take things with a grain of salt
