The presentation I made for my talk at AlleyNYC on building teams in early stage technology startups. Be sure to read the comments on each of the slides as they add additional information to what is presented on the slide.
2. A little about me
Graduated from RIT with B.S. in Software Engineering
Coding since I was 9
First company at age 14
Previous employee at Apple, Oracle, & RJMetrics
3. A little about me
Co-founded CloudMine in Philadelphia
Currently CTO
4. CloudMine’s Team
Grew from 3 founders to 10 total over 8 months
1 non-tech founder
2 tech founders
3 engineers
1 UX/UI designer (yes he can really do both)
1 marketing
2 sales
5. Agenda
When to Grow
The First Hire
Finding Them and Keeping Them
Culture
New vs. Existing Talent
Interns
19. The First Hire
Important questions to ask yourself:
• Can this person shoulder extra responsibility?
20. The First Hire
Important questions to ask yourself:
• Can this person shoulder extra responsibility?
• Can this person communicate with you?
21. The First Hire
Important questions to ask yourself:
• Can this person shoulder extra responsibility?
• Can this person communicate with you?
• Does s/he represent the culture you want to create?
22. The First Hire
Important questions to ask yourself:
• Can this person shoulder extra responsibility?
• Can this person communicate with you?
• Does s/he represent the culture you want to create?
• Would you want this person evangelizing your
company?
23. The First Hire
Important questions to ask yourself:
• Can this person shoulder extra responsibility?
• Can this person communicate with you?
• Does s/he represent the culture you want to create?
• Would you want this person evangelizing your
company?
• Will other people want to work with him/her?
39. Finding and Keeping Them
Designers want...
• to be challenged
• to work with people they respect
40. Finding and Keeping Them
Designers want...
• to be challenged
• to work with people they respect
• to be respected by their peers
41. Finding and Keeping Them
Designers want...
• to be challenged
• to work with people they respect
• to be respected by their peers
• to work with people and on problems that inspire
43. Finding and Keeping Them
Designers must...
• have a variety of design skills
44. Finding and Keeping Them
Designers must...
• have a variety of design skills
• focus on user experience
45. Finding and Keeping Them
Designers must...
• have a variety of design skills
• focus on user experience
• appreciate constructive criticism
46. Finding and Keeping Them
Designers must...
• have a variety of design skills
• focus on user experience
• appreciate constructive criticism
• be flexible and amenable to change
49. Finding and Keeping Them
Developers want...
• to be challenged technically
• to work with people they respect
50. Finding and Keeping Them
Developers want...
• to be challenged technically
• to work with people they respect
• to work with people they can learn from
51. Finding and Keeping Them
Developers want...
• to be challenged technically
• to work with people they respect
• to work with people they can learn from
• to feel ownership
54. Finding and Keeping Them
Developers must...
• be product people
• be able to communicate with other people
55. Finding and Keeping Them
Developers must...
• be product people
• be able to communicate with other people
• believe in what you are building
56. Finding and Keeping Them
Developers must...
• be product people
• be able to communicate with other people
• believe in what you are building
• be flexible and amenable to change
58. Finding and Keeping Them
Salespeople must...
• approach sales as business development
59. Finding and Keeping Them
Salespeople must...
• approach sales as business development
• be motivated not only by commission
60. Finding and Keeping Them
Salespeople must...
• approach sales as business development
• be motivated not only by commission
• work closely with founders to report learnings
61. Finding and Keeping Them
Salespeople must...
• approach sales as business development
• be motivated not only by commission
• work closely with founders to report learnings
“ A startup is an organization formed to search for a repeatable
and scalable business model. ”
— Steve Blank
65. Culture
Team is everything.
Team is everything.
Team is everything.
Team is everything.
Team is everything.
Team is everything.
Team is everything.
Team is everything.
97. Wrapping Up
Don’t hire until you have to.
Team is everything.
Diversify and challenge.
Foster a company culture made up of the best parts of
your personality.
98. Wrapping Up
Don’t hire until you have to.
Team is everything.
Diversify and challenge.
Foster a company culture made up of the best parts of
your personality.
Everything you do and say matters.
Presentation aimed at founders of young startups.\nBased on my own personal experiences. YMMV.\n
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Explain CTO.\n
Doesn’t count sales advisors. We have 3 of those.\n
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Share anecdote on why a designer should be first hire.\nMention customer-first development (Steve Blank, 4 Steps to the Epiphany)\n
IMO, a creative environment (espoused by designers) is more generally applicable and amenable than an engineering-oriented environment.\n
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If you can’t afford the salary, give more equity. Do not skimp.\n2% for first.\n
For the later employees. Ex. 2% -> 1% -> 0.75% -> 0.5%\n
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There’s always another place they can go.\n
Development, sales, and design are all fundamentally creative.\n
Each is a presentation in its own right.\nKeep this high level.\n
Devs can be territorial.\nConstant learning; if not, get rid of them.\n
Devs can be territorial.\nConstant learning; if not, get rid of them.\n
Devs can be territorial.\nConstant learning; if not, get rid of them.\n
Devs can be territorial.\nConstant learning; if not, get rid of them.\n
Not just UI design. Print design too.\nUser experience is more than just in the product. This is your brand.\n
Not just UI design. Print design too.\nUser experience is more than just in the product. This is your brand.\n
Not just UI design. Print design too.\nUser experience is more than just in the product. This is your brand.\n
Not just UI design. Print design too.\nUser experience is more than just in the product. This is your brand.\n
Devs can be territorial.\nConstant learning; if not, get rid of them.\n
Devs can be territorial.\nConstant learning; if not, get rid of them.\n
Devs can be territorial.\nConstant learning; if not, get rid of them.\n
Devs can be territorial.\nConstant learning; if not, get rid of them.\n
Communication with people inside and outside the company.\nOn and off the Internet.\n
Communication with people inside and outside the company.\nOn and off the Internet.\n
Communication with people inside and outside the company.\nOn and off the Internet.\n
Communication with people inside and outside the company.\nOn and off the Internet.\n
I don’t actually know what they want.\nTraditional salespeople are for later stage companies.\nShare story of creative sales comp package @ CM.\n
I don’t actually know what they want.\nTraditional salespeople are for later stage companies.\nShare story of creative sales comp package @ CM.\n
I don’t actually know what they want.\nTraditional salespeople are for later stage companies.\nShare story of creative sales comp package @ CM.\n
I don’t actually know what they want.\nTraditional salespeople are for later stage companies.\nShare story of creative sales comp package @ CM.\n
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Easy to remember, becomes difficult in the day-to-day to remember.\n
Easy to remember, becomes difficult in the day-to-day to remember.\n
Easy to remember, becomes difficult in the day-to-day to remember.\n
Easy to remember, becomes difficult in the day-to-day to remember.\n
Easy to remember, becomes difficult in the day-to-day to remember.\n
Easy to remember, becomes difficult in the day-to-day to remember.\n
Easy to remember, becomes difficult in the day-to-day to remember.\n
Easy to remember, becomes difficult in the day-to-day to remember.\n
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Multidisciplinary teams help with growth.\n
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I have employees asking me for these things.\nThey need to know where they stand.\nDesire personal improvement.\n
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Employees read into your words and actions.\nYou are their partner but also their leader.\n
Briefly touch on this.\n
Generally...\n
Generally....\nAnd that’s not to say existing talent can’t bring new ideas.\n
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It’s all about diversity.\n
Briefly touch on this.\n
Get ‘em while they’re young.\n
They haven’t been jaded yet.\nCan still break bad habits.\n
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Give special weight to potential.\nNot easy.\nFind overall smart people.\n
Typically one of the earlier employees who is good at teaching.\n
Gives them a sense of identity in the bigger picture.\n
Intern projects cause a rift between the intern and the other engineers.\nThe projects are cop-outs.\n