Dear Founder, You need great people! Unfortunately, most executives and companies suck at recruiting, which is incredibly unfortunate because it’s so crucial. When you start out, you’re probably only looking...
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Dear Founder, Well, since you opened this note, it seems like you don’t have a natural co-founder in mind. That’s okay. I’ll offer some suggestions on how to find someone...
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When I was at eBay, Meg was always concerned that I would get hit by a bus. While Meg and I had a great relationship, this wasn’t really out of...
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Dear Founder, You’re needing some inspiration right now. Maybe you’re looking for a great idea, or perhaps you need to find another way to solve a gnarly problem. Where does inspiration...
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Dear Founder, From day one it’s important to pay attention to culture. What is it that you want your company to stand for? What is its purpose? What are its...
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Dear Founder, Take a moment to celebrate the rarefied air you are breathing right now. Many CEOs dream of being in this position, and you should feel great about capturing...
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Dear Founder, Congratulations! First things first, some amount of (reasonable) celebration is in order. You and a couple friends, maybe with a product, maybe not, have just been valued by...
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Dear Founder, First of all, congrats! If someone wants to invest in your business, then you’re already off to a great start. Now you just need to agree on the...
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Dear Founder, You’re needing some inspiration right now. Maybe you’re looking for a great idea, or perhaps you need to find another way to solve a gnarly problem. Where does inspiration...
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In my personal career I’ve worked at the following companies and experienced the following cultures: Strong paternalistic culture. IBM was my first professional work experience and, at the time, I...
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