Sales is the difference between running a company and having a hobby. So if you’re the founding CEO, or want to be a founding CEO, but you don’t want to make the first 30 sales, don’t be the fucking founding CEO. Full. Stop.
Category: Aphorisms
Unexpected & Inevitable
The investor hears it and at first they don’t believe you. “Nah,” they say, as they start to argue with you whether that’s the way the world really works. Then, after a beat or two, they go, “wait, you’re right.” And after another moment, they think “fuck, that’s the only way it can be.”
“That’s Interesting” is the Kiss of Death
“That’s interesting” does not in any way, shape or form mean the person is excited about your company or wants to buy your product. All it means is they don’t want to be a dick. “That’s interesting” is what people say when they’re trying to be polite.
Simple Ain’t Easy
Think about the last time you tried to get into an exercise routine. Or consistently wake up earlier. Or quit smoking. None of those things are complicated, but all of them are hard to accomplish. We don’t fail at them because they’re complicated, we fail at them because we don’t prioritize them and think about them (let alone do them) on a daily basis.
Software is the Easy Part
Software you can fix, because it is cause and effect. If something isn’t working properly, there’s some bad code somewhere that just needs to be hunted down. But when your code is working and no one cares, that’s harder.
Beware Bullshit KPIs
Good KPIs are lagging indicators and they tell you what has already happened to you business. Leading indicators are great KPIs because they help you predict the future.