Startup Lessons Learned
SEPTEMBER 30, 2008
Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Tuesday, September 30, 2008 What does a startup CTO actually do? Often times, it seems like people are thinking its synonymous with "that guy who gets paid to sit in the corner and think technical deep thoughts" or "that guy who gets to swoop in a rearrange my project at the last minute on a whim."
Both Sides of the Table
NOVEMBER 16, 2009
Ryan was the most talented technologist we had hired at BuildOnline. We hired Ryan at a really young age and without a tremendous amount of prior experience. We had a strategy of hiring people really young because we couldn’t afford to hire too many senior people. I knew that meant he wouldn’t come back.
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Both Sides of the Table
NOVEMBER 5, 2014
I told her that I believed America’s best asset – driven initially from software innovation mindset in the San Francisco Bay Area and media innovation driven from Los Angeles – was our willingness to accept failure. We hired outside experts. Marc Berte, the CTO, and a masters from MIT, is exceptionally gifted.
Both Sides of the Table
FEBRUARY 7, 2013
Because I am true to the hiring practices I preach, I wanted a strong exec who would “ punch above their weightclass ” by taking a job they hadn’t yet done but would hugely aspire to and thus work harder to out perform. And we wanted a head of global marketing. As you know I believe in Lines, not Dots.
Both Sides of the Table
JUNE 21, 2014
The truth is you really don’t know how your teammates or your bosses will perform in good times and bad. You hire people who look good on paper. So one of the surest signs you’ve hired a leader is the willingness of his or her former team to re-assemble. After 6 months – you know. You REALLY know.
Startup Lessons Learned
SEPTEMBER 22, 2008
In this model, you take some fraction of the lifetime value of each customer and plow that back into paid acquisition through SEM, banner ads, PR, affiliates, etc. Beware the new hire who has "extensive experience" in startups or big companies - using a different growth driver. April 23, 2010 in San Francisco.
Both Sides of the Table
MAY 5, 2011
Your highest priority right now is hiring the 1 or 2 people that are going to join your company and make a difference. There’s you and your killer CTO co-founder. That seems likely to be dominated by a more urban startup from NYC or from San Francisco. It is possible and he’s showing people that.
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