Tips on effectively transitioning from a 9-5 job to work in tech / entrepreneurship.

1. Transitioning into
TECH
by
Gillian Morris
Presented at Harvard in Tech meetup, 18 November 2014
@gillianim

2. FORMER LIFE Journalist/Consultant in Istanbul
view from my kitchen

3. 2 years later
Founder & CEO of Hitlist, a mobile app tha t
helps you build a list of places you’d like to
go then alerts you when there are cheap
flights to get to those places
• 200k+ downloads
• Venture backed
• Won 4 hackathons
• ‘35 under 35’ Young Leaders
to watch in Travel
@gillianim

4. 1. Build
something
people=
want
Not just you and your
yuppie friends
@gillianim

5. Know the difference*:
Lifestyle
Do what you love! And make enough
to live comfortably
• Incremental
improvement on
something that already
exists
• Nice to have not need
to have
Venture backable
Build something market-changing in a
minimum $1bn market
• Differentiated: new
product or 10x better
• Sustainable: network
effects
• Compelling: solves a real
problem
*there are exceptions to every rule, but have a good reason if you think you’ll be one
@gillianim

6. Validate your idea
• In a weekend
• In a quarter
@gillianim

7. 2. Build
your
network
(virtual & local) @gillianim

8. FACT:
• the best investor introductions
come from fellow entrepreneurs
who are already making/have
made the investor money
• The best jobs come from personal
referrals
• The best employees come from
personal referrals
@gillianim

9. @gillianim

10. Useful meetup groups:
• NY Tech Meetup
• Women 2.0
• Ultra Light Startups
• Entrepreneurs’ roundtable
• PandoMonthly / Startup Grind
Check out my ‘complete guide to NY Tech – Abridged!’

11. 3. Build
your track
record
@gillianim

12. ‘Investors invest
in lines not dots’
- Mark Suster
Google this & read the blog post!
@gillianim

13. FREE ways to build your track record:
Hackathons
• TechCrunch Disrupt (NY in May, SF in September)
• NYC BigApps
• Look for ones related to your industry
Pitch competitions
• AlleyNYC Startup Battles
• TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield
Speak at/organize Meetups
Blog
Send updates
Help others

14. RECAP:
1. Build something
people want
2. Build your network
3. Build your track
record @gillianim

15. @gillianim
Qs:
Contact
g@hitlistapp.com
Gillian.im