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How to Configure Your Startup Team

Both Sides of the Table

Early-stage companies shouldn’t: outsource core product development, have consulting firms build it for them to speed up time-to-market, shouldn’t hire too many business people until product is complete and early product/market fit tested. Ok, well not that pretty since I do my own slides and often at 1am.

Startup 388
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Want to Know the Difference Between a CTO and a VP Engineering?

Both Sides of the Table

I know this will fall like a lead balloon to the many people who believe it is possible to have a [insert: startup incubator or technology accelerator or technology consultant or outsource firm] build your technology. Some CTO’s swear that it is a huge improvement in development timeframes and doesn’t cause performance issues.

CTO Hire 400
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Top 120 Startup Posts for 2010

SoCal CTO

First Principles. Steve Blank , January 25, 2010 10 Tips for Adding Game Mechanics to a Non-Gaming Service - ReadWriteStart , September 21, 2010 Startups & VCs: Learn How to Design, Market, & Eat Your Own. -

Startup 378
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What Makes an Entrepreneur (2/10) – Street Smarts

Both Sides of the Table

Because they’re street smart, most great entrepreneurs tend to prefer getting out and talking with real customers rather than sitting in a cubicle all day doing beautiful PowerPoint slides. He asked each sales / biz dev person to call customers and tell them they had to change their contracts. We committed to product features.

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This Week in VC Episode 6 with @Jason Calacanis: Best One Yet

Both Sides of the Table

We spoke about employment contracts for entrepreneurs – We talked about “change of control&# provisions in your contract and how to negotiate them. AdReady – Develops software tools and management platform that assists content publishers and ad agencies with the creation of display ads. Rumored to be appox.

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5 Tips to Becoming a More Customer Centric Organization

Both Sides of the Table

I know that this all seems obvious now with the movements started by Steven Blank ( Four Steps of Epiphany ) with the whole Customer Development processes / Lean Startup movements also popularized by people like Eric Ries. I used to always tell my development team, “you need to design a product that my dad could use.

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How Great, Operationally-Focused CFO’s Can Transform Your Business

Both Sides of the Table

What I love about my job is getting to see teams of super-early-stage companies develop ideas that while raw have potential to make an impact on the market. This happens because many CEOs are passionate, market-driven people who are constantly trying to launch new products, win contracts, get press, hire staff and woo VCs.