WARNING: THIS PRESENTATION MIGHT BE DISTURBING

BugSense presents

"Startup or Shut up"by John Vlachogiannis

@jonromero

Part I: Start(up) your engines

Incorporation

Funding

Build a great product

Extra: VISA (H1B, O1)

Enjoy life

Part II: Prepare for war

<----- YOU ARE HERE

Role models in Greece

It all started a rainy November evening ...

It all started a rainy November evening ...

It all started a rainy November evening ...

Role models in the US

"Halfway to a good product, never actually there."

-- Ζeno (possibly about Startups)

From Greece to Global

SVGS Fund+

Advisors+

YCombinator+

Users=

Best feedback we ever had!

We learnt more in 2 hours at Palo Alto than 4 months in Athens!

We used to be called Sfalma. Remember?What the greeks said about the name:

● The branding is bizzare enough to work imho

● Fantastic branding●Sfalma rocks.● I like sfalma, google was/is difficult

to spell too...

What do you need to "Startup" in Silicon Valley

I don't know

You have to figure this out by yourself(every product is different)

Let me share with you my "Daily SV Startup Secrets"

S-Corp, C-Corp, LLC?

Secret #1

Doesn't really matter (for now).

Get a good lawyer

Secret #2

And by good I mean, great.

You can't write a business plan - You don't know your business (yet)

Secret #3

Iterate (business plan/product)

"If you are a "fake" in Greece, you'll be a "fake" in SV."

Secret #4

Don't try the "fake it 'till you make it"

Be ready for the (emotional) roller coaster

Secret #5

It won't be fun and games

Don't be afraid talking about your idea

Secret #6

Ideas are cheap

Team

Secret #7

No need to have an MBA

Secret #8

SV wants fighters, no "cookie cutters"

Ignore Business School Books!Get some enligthment from people who broke some eggs

DROPOUTS

We've met and got feedback from almost every famous Angel &VC ...

... wearing jeans and being ourselves.

Cookie cutters don't do this 'cause:"It was not in the MBA book".

Determination

Secret #9

Lots of people cannot handle the competition.

We know a lot of these people.

And probably you are one of them

It's up to you to prove us wrong

Luck

Secret #10 (last one)

No such thing

Thanks

"bug" me at @jonromero