Post on 08-Jul-2015
description
TOMER DVIRTOMER DVIRCEO & FOUNDER, SOLUTOCEO & FOUNDER, SOLUTO
BE YOURSELFBE YOURSELF
WHOISWHOIS
• 14 years experience in HW & SW design• InetB (Co-Founder, VP R&D)
• MDG Medical (CTO)
• Soluto (Co-Founder, CEO)
• Many others…
BE YOURSELFBE YOURSELF
……
Startup = Daily DilemmasStartup = Daily Dilemmas
Be YourselfBe Yourself
• Looking for those “Right Answers” for success of your startup?
Right answers?Right answers?
• There is no such thing.
Difference.Difference.
No one has the answersNo one has the answers
(Maybe god, but she’s busy with more important things…)
YOUR IDEAYOUR IDEA
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SkeptismSkeptism
• Have no assumptions
Concept SkeptismConcept Skeptism
• Keep evaluating your concept from scratch
Social Network?Why?
Known FactKnown Fact
• As of 2007, The world voted ‘no’ for touch-screen based devices. Touch is dead.
Technology SkeptismTechnology Skeptism
• Choose technology while avoiding any myths
Technology myths & truthsTechnology myths & truths
• C# is slower than C++
• Microsoft SQL – Bad
• Client application – Web, AJAX, Flash
• Cloud computing is the future of everything
TRUTHS, “FACTS”TRUTHS, “FACTS”
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Truths, “Facts”Truths, “Facts”
• Hundreds exist
• A few are not wrong
• But, just like everything in life, everything is subjective
• Examples..
Startup Fact…Startup Fact…
“When funds are available, take it”
Startup Fact…Startup Fact…
“Launching a product on the internet requires a professional branding company, and costs $100k”
Startup Fact…Startup Fact…
“You should ask users what they want”
Startup Fact…Startup Fact…
“Using Israeli Chief-Scientist funds creates problems with IP on M&A”
Startup Fact…Startup Fact…
“A startup cannot have 2 brands”
AREA 51AREA 51
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Area 51Area 51
You might have less/no experience
(finance, marketing, legal, business..)
MagicMagic
Don’t throw the problems on other people and expect magic
MagicMagic
No subject is rocket science*
MagicMagic
No subject is rocket science*
* (unless you’re dealing with rocket science..)
Rocket ScienceRocket Science
Things to know:–Concept
–Who to consult with
–Jargon
JargonJargon
• Acronyms & Jargon – It’s cool and makes you feel important
• If someone knows the jargon, he knows the jargon
DOWNERSDOWNERS
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VD’s (Venture Downers)VD’s (Venture Downers)
• VD’s – People that have 2-10 reasons to quit your venture
• The 1-2-3 method:
VD’s (Venture Downers)VD’s (Venture Downers)
• VD’s – People that have 2-10 reasons to quit your venture
• Step 1 - Listen
• Step 2 - Take into proportion
• Step 3 - Think & Learn
THE CEOTHE CEO
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The CEOThe CEO
“You must have
the perfect CEO”
The CEOThe CEO
• There is no “Perfect CEO”
• There is a “Perfect CEO for stage X”
The CEOThe CEO
• “CEO Mindset” - The ability to keep seeing things at a high level, with a wide view of ALL aspects
• Best scenario – One of the founders has it.
EQUITY LEECHESEQUITY LEECHES
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Equity LeechesEquity Leeches
• The better the idea, the more will come–Fund raising
–Strategic introductions
–Advisors
Equity LeechesEquity Leeches
• Dodge the leeches
• Learn to identify the valuable ones
• Try working with them
• Triple-Check with references
ADVISORSADVISORS
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Advisors – How to identify?Advisors – How to identify?
High-tech celebrity name droppers
NOT!
Yossa’leh Vardi is my #3
QuickDial …
AdvisorsAdvisors
• Choose as if you’re choosing a partner
• Be generous with the right ones
• Advisors might be relevant to specific periods
AdvisorsAdvisors
• Advisors “Pushed” by your investors–Only accept if they qualify
““BY THE BOOK” ISSUESBY THE BOOK” ISSUES
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By the book…By the book…
“A startup should work 14 hours / day”
By the book…By the book…
“You need an office manager”
By the book…By the book…
“You need a CFO”
GENERAL INSIGHTSGENERAL INSIGHTS
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FundsFunds
• Being hungry – Helps you stay lean
• Go over your budget twice a week
• Change to your working currency
Discounted ServicesDiscounted Services
• … for Equity–Lawyer
–Equipment provider
Share VS ESOPShare VS ESOP
• No matter how early, avoid giving out “founder shares”
• (God invented ESOP for that)
Tools, Software licensesTools, Software licenses
• Microsoft Empower
• Microsoft BizSpark
• Google Services
Used EquipmentUsed Equipment
• An entire startup office can be raised using used equipment for half the cost
InspirationInspiration
• Guy Kawasaki (Garage Ventures)
• Paul Grahm (Y Combinator)
• Ishay Green (CTO, Soluto)
BE YOURSELFBE YOURSELF
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"Be yourself" is about the worst advice you can give some people”
~Tom Masson
http://www.soluto.comhttp://www.soluto.comRegister for an early beta!Register for an early beta!