Get Your Head on Straight: A List of What REALLY Matters for Startups by Paul Graham

(image courtesy of www.techiteasy.org)

I found another great entrepreneur/start up “words of wisdom” article a couple weeks ago that I have been carrying with me since and sharing with colleagues and In Good Company members left and right.

Startups in 13 Sentences by Paul Graham

Why do I like this article so much? Because it helps you focus on what is important.

We have talked with a lot of members this week who feel:

1. overwhelmed by the amount of information out there and want help SIFTING through all that data/advice/information

2. everything is a priority and everything is 'important' and want help BOLDING the truly critical items on the list

This article does that at the business principle level (which is what is what really matters anyhow). Rather than parse it out here, I think it is important to read as is.

The pieces that stuck with me the most –

* Co-founders are to startups as location is to real estate

* The real work is not coming up with a great idea and getting to market but rather it is evolving and improving that idea once you really get to play in the marketplace (so for all those ‘planners’ and ‘to-do listers’ listen up: - it is NOT about figuring it all out ahead of time! Get going already.)

* It is all about the users (or in our case – members!); they are what matters most. True true.

* Focus of giving “surprisingly good” customer service. I have more thought on this that will follow in a later post.

* Lessons about NOT getting demoralized or giving up

We are going to start including this in the IGC new member packet along with the Fred Wilson article that we wrote about a couple weeks ago.

thanks, Gentlemen.