Understanding startup failure.Ryan Graves

9/10/09Founder of SocialDreamium LLC

@ryangraves

Lessons

• Understand project management• Understand team communication• Understand core competencies• Understand the competitive landscape• Summary

Project Management: PrioritiesRemind yourself the basics

•TimelineUnderstanding your milestones so that you can deliver on your promise

•Funding•Bankrupt•Break-even•Burn out

•Budget•See above

•Scope•MVP•Proven biz model•Lean startup

Life Blood of Business: Communication

“Choosing a business partner is like choosing a spouse, except after a fight you can’t have make-up sex.”

The most important factors•Communication•Similar goals•Flexibility

Know You: Core Competencies•You can’t have every skill on a team of founders

•Know the gaps in your team and identify them immediately

•Find your competitive advantage

The Focus: Competition•Know what your competition did

•Know what your competition is doing

•Know what your competition is about to do

You absolutely need to understand how you’re going to differentiate yourself from your competition

The Focus: Competition•Know what your competition did•Know what your competition is doing•Know what your competition is about to do

You absolutely need to understand how you’re going to differentiate yourself from your competition

Us vs. Them11/08 04/09

http://thedreaminaction.com/2009/04/09/seesmic-desktop-takes-over-twitter-clients/http://mashable.com/2009/04/08/tweetdeck-memory-leak/

Summary

•Manage your team

•Communicate with your team

•Understand your team

•Know how your team differs

Kick ass.

It’s all about the team.

Photo Credits• Failure - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kartz/1431621639/• Priorities -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24027013@N06/3113750918/• Communication -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/92912266@N00/148291297/• Skills -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristiankristof/1130619764/in/set-72157594325240472/

• Focus on comp - http://www.flickr.com/photos/62328475@N00/2768382136/

• Horse comp - http://www.flickr.com/photos/45055701@N00/911728514/