A recent interaction with a developer reminded me of two things I’ve learned:
1. Don’t let your emotions control you, but don’t be afraid to show emotion.
2. It’s easier to control your emotions when you stop thinking everyone is out to get you. More often than not, people hurt you with their idiocy not their meanness.
The story - last week we conducted phone interviews for developer positions we have open at Pocket Tales. One developer failed to answer his phone at the arranged time.
This isn’t unusual. In my history of recruiting you always have one or two no-shows or late arrivers. You usually write the candidate off unless they have a very good reason, but you give them a chance to give you a reason.
Mint CEO Aaron Patzer - Presentation on Budgeting, Hiring, and Raising Capital
The following video and presentation contain actual numbers from Mint.com’s startup story. It shows how Patzer and team budgeted expenses, hired developers, and raised multiple rounds of capital from “Garage” round to exit.
And it’s all wrapped up into a succinct 20 minute presentation.
This is extremely useful information; especially, for early-stage Indiana tech startups who see few if any examples of this type locally.
Patzer’s revenue model slide is particularly ingenious.
Compensation will include salary + equity/ stock options. If you’re interested visit http://www.pockettales.com/jobs.html to apply.
About this Blog
The primary purpose of this blog is to record for prosperity the experience of starting my first company. I’m a forgetful and nostalgic person. I expect to search this blog constantly for my own advice, for quotes of inspiration, and for links to useful resources. Also, many years from now, I expect to read these posts and laugh at how much and how little has changed.
The secondary purpose of this blog is to inform and connect other early stage entrepreneurs in Indianapolis, IN. There are no shortage of people telling me that Indiana is not the place to start an emerging technology/ low-cost internet company. There is little to no capital here for pre-revenue companies and similarly, its harder to find developers and other professionals desiring to work for a startup.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the MAN who is actually IN THE ARENA, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
-Theodore Roosevelt, CITIZENSHIP IN A REPUBLIC, “The Man in the Arena”
A recent interaction with a developer reminded me of two things I’ve learned:
