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Happy Saturday.

I’m back in Ashburn, VA after a quick trip to Vegas mid-week. The jetlag’s catching up to me but that might be my last flight for the year… unless I find out that I need a few more PQM’s to keep my 1K status on United. 

1. “Still, nobody wanted our app.” [Link] [Tweet]

I probably sound like a broken record but knowing how to build an app isn’t enough. You’ve got to be thinking about user acquisition (e.g., “how will I convince people to wantto download this app?”), user retention (e.g., “how will I make this useful enough to make them want to open the app enough to not forget about it over the other 80+ apps they have installed?”) and monetization (e.g., “how are we going to pay the bills?).

2. “But if you see it. Clearly. And have 24+ months to get to 10 customers. And 10 years to real success. Go for it.” [Link] [Tweet]

It’s never too late to start a company as long as you recognize that you have to be in it for the long haul. Building a company is harder than you think.

3. “The web is less than 8,000 days old.” [Link] [Tweet]

A little more perspective on this week’s Fed news: the last time the Fed raised interest rates, iPhones didn’t exist.

4. “We built this spreadsheet and we modeled these two scenarios — one is build, one is buy.” [Link] [Tweet]

At a basic level, the most desirable acquisition targets are the ones that are growing the fastest. That’s as simple as it is.

In this case, Respondly had product, traction and a growth rate that convinced Buffer that it was worth buying the company rather than start building the business from scratch.

Growth > Product

5. “Silicon Valley is cooling, not crashing. Valuations are falling. The era of cheap money is over.” [Link] [Tweet]

If you’re an early stage company focused on revenue and growth, you’re going to be just fine. The only people freaking out at this point are the ones that raised on high valuations in the past and haven’t been able to get their company to grow into that number.

6. “every company is now a software company, whether they sell sugar water or build buildings.” [Link] [Tweet]

On that note, you should be making friends at larger companies just outside of your industry. If your goal is to sell to Google, Facebook or any of the other big companies in the Valley, here’s the bad news: they’re likely to undervalue you, if they even notice you.

Last year, 100+ corporate venture arms were setup. That’s 100+ big corporations saying “Hey, we want to figure this tech thing out. Maybe we should invest in some stuff.” They’re recognizing that technology isn’t “the IT guy in the basement” but rather it’s the stuff that’s going to grow them for the next 100 years.

7. “It used to be that having your own car provided the ultimate sense of freedom for young adults.” [Link] [Tweet]

My first car was about freedom. Hell, my latest pickup truck is still about freedom. I guess I don’t understand those damn kids either.

On a serious note: I wonder if my daughter will ever learn to drive. By the time she’s 16, I imagine that self driving cars and the sharing economy will change the way we take our children to school, soccer practices and shopping.

8. “The problem with early stage investing is that markets can never be sized in Excel.” [Link] [Tweet]

Three things about early stage investing:

• Most due diligence happens in the rear view mirror.
• You just need to be directionally right about the market.
• If the company is spending >50% of the time talking about the product, you should see that as a red flag. The best founders recognize that the product is table stakes, growth is everything.

9. “There’s something metaphysical about driving alone through the night.” [Link] [Tweet]

I’m looking forward to the stops on my tech tour next year — and the long drives that will come with them. I’ve got 7 states confirmed around the US and the events are starting to come together. More on that next week. 🙂

10. “The best time to start a company is when you can nucleate a team around yourself and your vision.” [Link] [Tweet]

Investors will always chase great teams pursuing unique ideas. That is a constant, despite the vacillations of the financial markets.

How about we spend a week together in 2016?

I’ve spent the last few years jetting in/out of places for keynotes and demo days. It’s an effective way for me, as an investor, to meet the maximum amount of companies in the shortest amount of time. I want to give back to local tech communities in 2016.

Here’s the general idea: I’ll come spend a week in your community and we’ll put together a week full of office hours, tech meetups, angel investing workshops, keynotes and fun. I might even bring some other investors with me to help.

In exchange, you cover my costs and help me figure out how to best help your tech community. Bonus: I might do it all in an Airstream.

I’m only going to do a few of these week-long trips in 2016, please fill this out ASAP if you think I can help your local tech community. I’m booked into seven states already, hurry up. 🙂

Firehose

You can get the full stream of the things I read, it’s all on Twitter — follow me: @paulsingh. Sometimes I write stuff too. You can always find me on Slack, apply to join.

Have a great weekend!

-P

P.S. If you loved this newsletter, share it with a friend. If you hated this newsletter, share it with an enemy.

Happy Saturday.

Hello from Kelowna, BC today where I led workshops on fundraising & angel investing. Just one more trip left in 2015 — Las Vegas this coming Wednesday, let me know if you’re around.

1. “Star­tups are about ex­e­cu­tion, not about ideas.” [Link] [Tweet]

Split things equally, always have a vesting schedule and get back to work. The default state of your company is failure and the only team that can change that is yours.

2. The Micro VCs Are Coming [Link] [Tweet]

Outside the Valley (and most other dense tech hubs), most founders and investors simply aren’t aware of how little it now costs to start (or invest in) a company. (Which is why I’m doing the 2016 tech tour and creating a weeklong set of workshops around these topics.)

3. “We don’t need another app to order food.” [Link] [Tweet]

Entrepreneurship has been Hollywood-ized over the past few years (eg, TV shows, movies and lots of press). As with most things, this is a double-edged sword.

Just as much as we’re encouraging more people to start their own thing, let’s agree to discourage them from spending too much time on things that simply aren’t working.

4. “Quitting slowly doesn’t serve you well.” [Link] [Tweet]

I should print this out and tape it to my laptop. You should too.

5. “Valuation and market capitalization are easily confused.” [Link] [Tweet]

Unfortunately, it’s more fun to throw around lots of big numbers than to understand the nuts and bolts: “When valuation numbers are reported to the public without understanding the calculations behind them, and without the context of the differences in calculation methods, swings in tech company valuations can sound like a big deal. The drama makes for a good story.”

6. “startups using equity crowdfunding will consist of lower-quality co’s that couldn’t get funding by other means” [Link] [Tweet]

The people that tend to be most excited about equity-based crowdfunding are, ironically, the least likely to ever raise any real money this way.

Until successful companies actually use equity-based crowdfunding (or one of the existing crowdfunded companies becomes a big hit), this won’t really take off.

7. “Founders fear long-term failure, but not the short-term mistakes that lead to it.” [Link] [Tweet]

Two thoughts:

1. Yep.
2. When are we going to see some stuff around how First Round creates such useful content?

8. Stay Focused on Your Goals Not Your Critics [Link] [Tweet]

“I’m always reminded that in tough times some people pull up their socks and help get the job done while others turn to being critics: Even some who don’t actually take risks or accomplish things but love to opine.”

9. “desktop companies have leveraged mobile better than actual mobile-focused startups.” [Link] [Tweet]

Knowing how to build an app isn’t enough.

I can’t seem to find it right now but I recall hearing a comment about the number of apps submitted to the app stores continue to rise daily but the average number of apps that an end-user keeps on her phone has remained steady for the last few years.

Building mobile apps is difficult. Building mobile apps that people will find, use and remember is incredibly hard. And it’s only getting harder.

10. “The cap table gets to a point where it can be challenging for new money to come in” [Link] [Tweet]

Back in 2010, it was rare to see angels participate in rounds larger than $500K. Today, angels are banding together to pump up to $1.5M into companies — sometimes without any VC firms included. I’m convinced the last few years will be remembered as the rise of the angels.

How about we spend a week together in 2016?

I’ve spent the last few years jetting in/out of places for keynotes and demo days. It’s an effective way for me, as an investor, to meet the maximum amount of companies in the shortest amount of time. I want to give back to local tech communities in 2016.

Here’s the general idea: I’ll come spend a week in your community and we’ll put together a week full of office hours, tech meetups, angel investing workshops, keynotes and fun. I might even bring some other investors with me to help.

In exchange, you cover my costs and help me figure out how to best help your tech community. Bonus: I might do it all in an Airstream.

I’m only going to do a few of these week-long trips in 2016, please fill this out ASAP if you think I can help your local tech community. I’m booked into six cities already, hurry up. 🙂

Firehose

You can get the full stream of the things I read, it’s all on Twitter — follow me: @paulsingh. Sometimes I write stuff too. You can always find me on Slack, apply to join.

Have a great weekend!

-P

P.S. If you loved this newsletter, share it with a friend. If you hated this newsletter, share it with an enemy.

Happy Friday.

Hello from Lisbon today where I’m keynoting FastTrack later today. If you’re in the Washington, DC or Kelowna, BC next week, scroll to the bottom — I’m hosting a couple of private meetups and I’d love to meet you.

1. “You may have noticed a theme here: at this stage, your marketing layers become reliable.” [Link] [Tweet]

I probably sound like a broken record by now: building a great product is table stakes, figuring out how to make the right noise about the product is the real differentiator between good companies and great companies.

Another important point from the author: “Since the ease of marketing a product is directly proportional to how great it is, incremental improvements at the outset can change the entire trajectory of your business in the long run. In a startup, the odds against you are already so high that marketing a sub-par product isn’t worth anyone’s time.”

2. “Intelligent people have a reputation for making dumb mistakes, especially in situations that require common sense.” [Link] [Tweet]

Everyone makes mistakes. The surprisingly hard part is to recognize them.

3. “Once you’ve taken care of the basics, there’s very little in this world for which your life is worth deferring.” [Link] [Tweet]

I love this: “I can only speak to the experience I did have. The one I do share with millions of people who have the basics taken care of, but who still yearn for the treasure perceived to be behind the curtain. For those who might contemplate giving up all manners of integrity, dignity, or even humanity to pull it back.”

I’ve made a ton of business-related mistakes and they all share one thing in common: I put money first.

4. “Two-thirds of people around the world failed a short test of basic financial concepts.” [Link] [Tweet]

Know your money, yo.

5. “If you can’t offer radical candor, the second best thing you can do is be an asshole.” [Link] [Tweet]

Being nice and being direct don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

6. “I felt like this led to an arm’s race for the highest growth rates” [Link] [Tweet]

There are few people that understand SaaS businesses as well as Christoph Janz. Click through to his site to find KPI templates and a bunch of other extremely relevant content.

7. “Nei­ther of us know any­thing about angel in­vest­ing. Let’s learn quickly by fund­ing a bunch of star­tups.” [Link] [Tweet]

While it’s always interesting to read the story behind any successful company, survivor bias will likely result in at least a few of the readers to consider opening their own accelerators. If that’s you, don’t do it — accelerators are much harder than they look.

8. “mindset research is increasingly finding that it doesn’t take much to shift one’s thinking.” [Link] [Tweet]

I’m hot right now. Shifting my mindset doesn’t seem to be slowing my profuse sweating.

9. “cash is addictive.” [Link] [Tweet]

The best entrepreneurs see money as a tool rather than a milestone.

10. “Silicon Valley loves the mission-based startup and retroactively constructs a founder mythology.” [Link] [Tweet]

Every company has a story and a real story. Unfortunately, we rarely hear the latter.

Want to meet up next week?

Washington, DC Metro: I’m tired of working out of coffee shops when I’m at home in Ashburn — if you’re around on Tuesday, come hang with me. I’m borrowing a friends office for a few hours and want to get some work done around other smart people. Get more details and sign up here.

Kelowna, BC: I’m going to be hosting two workshops this coming Thursday in Kelowna:Fundraising 101 and VC 101. Each event is limited to 15 people so signup now.

Can I spend a week with you in 2016?

I’ve spent the last few years jetting in/out of places for keynotes and demo days. It’s an effective way for me, as an investor, to meet the maximum amount of companies in the shortest amount of time. I want to give back to local tech communities in 2016.

Here’s the general idea: I’ll come spend a week in your community and we’ll put together a week full of office hours, tech meetups, keynotes and fun. I might even bring some other investors with me to help.

In exchange, you cover my costs and help me figure out how to best help your tech community. Bonus: I might do it all in an Airstream.

I’m only going to do a few of these week-long trips in 2016, please fill this out ASAP if you think I can help your local tech community. I’m booked into six cities already, hurry up. 🙂

Firehose

You can get the full stream of the things I read, it’s all on Twitter — follow me: @paulsingh. Sometimes I write stuff too. You can always find me on Slack, apply to join.

Have a great weekend!

-P

P.S. If you loved this newsletter, share it with a friend. If you hated this newsletter, share it with an enemy.

Happy Friday.

Hello from 34,000 feet today. I’m somewhere over the Atlantic and heading home after a week of speaking and events in Guadalajara, MX and Madrid. I’d love to come spend a week with you in 2016, scroll to the bottom to learn more.

1. “Whatever I’m doing, I’m fully invested in that thing as I’m doing it.” [Link] [Tweet]

I agree with the author: it’s not about work-life balance, it’s about work-life integration.

2. “anyone building a marketplace company knows that marketplaces face unique challenges” [Link] [Tweet]

If you’re building a marketplace-based company, you should read this.

3. “I understood they wanted us to have a better life than theirs, but there were times I felt suffocated.” [Link] [Tweet]

As a first-generation Indian-American, every word in this piece rings true for me. I imagine other children of immigrants to the US feel the same way.

4. “a Trident D5 ballistic missile launched by the USS Kentucky off the coast of Southern California.” [Link] [Tweet]

Because missiles. Also, here’s a late Veteran’s Day “thank you” to all of the men and women that keep us safe.

5. “you don’t have to suspend reality to imagine that a few portfolio companies might exit at ~$250 million.” [Link] [Tweet]

Two thoughts:

1. The math around venture funds is relatively straightforward yet very few founders (and perhaps some investors as well) spend any time trying to understand how things work. The goal is to return 3X-5X (or more) to the LPs and that gets trickier as the fund size increases.
2. Has anyone seen how these single-GP funds are structured? Aside from the management fees and carry, I’d be interested in understanding how the rest of the LPA looks. Hit ‘reply’ and let me know if you’ve got something I can read.

6. “success goes to the fastest, not the first” [Link] [Tweet]

Having sat in countless pitches around the world, this particular idea is the least understood outside of Silicon Valley.

While everyone outside the Valley pitches their app/idea/concept, people inside the Valley are pitching their growth tactics.

How do we share that concept with more founders and investors outside of the major tech hubs?

7. “It is burned in your brain because the world as you knew it is now forever different.” [Link] [Tweet]

I’m late to drones. Really late.

8. “he did what anyone would do and shot a high-budget rap video about it.” [Link] [Tweet]

I had a lemon once but it was pre-social media. I wonder how much faster Land Rover would have reacted if I was able to create something that might bring millions of eyeballs into the issue.

9. “It doesn’t matter what people say. Watch what they do.” [Link] [Tweet]

This.

10. “I’m trying to find these things that aren’t meant to be beautiful but are.” [Link] [Tweet]

Big ships are really big. Also, it’s important to remember that the vast majority of goods available to you daily are taking a ride on one of these things at some point during their creation.

Can I spend a week with you in 2016?

I’ve spent the last few years jetting in/out of places for keynotes and demo days. It’s an effective way for me, as an investor, to meet the maximum amount of companies in the shortest amount of time. I want to give back to local tech communities in 2016.

Here’s the general idea: I’ll come spend a week in your community and we’ll put together a week full of office hours, tech meetups, keynotes and fun. I might even bring some other investors with me to help.

In exchange, you cover my costs and help me figure out how to best help your tech community. Bonus: I might do it all in an Airstream.

I’m only going to do 6 of these week-long trips in 2016, please fill this out ASAP if you think I can help your local tech community. Three of the cities have already been booked, hurry up. 🙂

Firehose

You can get the full stream of the things I read, it’s all on Twitter — follow me: @paulsingh. Sometimes I write stuff too. You can always find me on Slack, apply to join.

Have a great weekend!

-P

P.S. If you loved this newsletter, share it with a friend. If you hated this newsletter, share it with an enemy.

Happy Saturday.

Hello from 31,995 feet today. I’m en route to Guadalajara, MX to speak at Startup Weekend before heading to Madrid again for a keynote at the IE Venture Day this Thursday. Racking up those miles, y’all. I’d love to come spend a week with you in 2016, scroll to the bottom to learn more.

1. “Guess what is often the worst slide in an investor pitch deck?” [Link] [Tweet]

It makes me sad when founders don’t take 10 seconds to Google for pitch decks of other companies before pulling their own decks together. Many 500 demo day pitch decks (and the pitch videos) are posted on Slideshare. Other investors are doing the same with their portfolio companies and there’s a wealth of information that can be pulled from AngelList (eg, who funded other companies in the space, how many companies are aiming for a particular market, etc).

It doesn’t matter if you’re a founder or an investor: it’s 2015, there’s no excuse for bad pitches or not knowing the market.

2. Do you speak VC? 30+ jargons and acronyms you should know. [Link] [Tweet]

It’s easy to get lost in the jargon that comes along with running a business. You should probably bookmark this.

While you’re at it, take a look at the definition of GMV and see if it lines up with what you’ve been defining as revenue.

3. “I am all screwed up and it’s not something your body gets used to.” [Link] [Tweet]

I can’t imagine doing these types of commutes routinely but a growing number of careers today benefit from (and sometimes require) a little more face-to-face time.

Regardless of whether you’re a freelancer or working at a Fortune 500 company, it’s extremely important for you to be thinking entrepreneurially. These people chose long commutes rather than uprooting their families. What are you willing to do?

4. A data genius computes the ultimate American road trip [Link] [Tweet]

I’m a sucker for road trips. Scroll further down this email to see what I’ve got in store for 2016. Hint: it involves road trips. And possibly an Airstream.

5. “few of them have the cutting-edge abilities that startups crave.” [Link] [Tweet]

This isn’t just a problem for startups in India, it’s an everywhere problem.

As more investors — especially Silicon Valley focused angels and VCs — begin to pump money into startups outside the major tech hubs (eg, Silicon Valley, NYC, etc), I’m seeing this much more often.

I’ve met founders in places like Tennessee, Madrid, Detroit and Bangalore that have raised millions of dollars from Silicon Valley investors but then have a challenge finding enough talent locally (or willing to relocate to these places) to fill the slots on their hiring plans.

I suppose remote work could be the answer but, for high growth companies especially, it’s extremely hard to replicate the face-to-face interactions that enable the real magic to happen.

6. “Don’t give orders. Give outcomes.” [Link] [Tweet]

Managing people is hard but managing entrepreneurial people is even harder. Mostly because entrepreneurs don’t thrive under management, they excel with leadership.

Something I tell every entrepreneurially-minded person I’ve ever hired: “I’m not asking you to give me the next 20 years of your life, I’m asking you to give me the next 12-18 months. In exchange, you’ll gain more experience in those 12-18 months than most people get in their entire careers.” Then listen to what they say next.

7. “The route covers 12,299 miles, stops in 28 states and passes through 40.” [Link] [Tweet]

Have I mentioned that I love road trips? (Yes, that’s the second mention this week — so apparently you all love road trips too.) I’m starting to thinking about my 2016 travels and road trips are going to be a big part of them. Scroll down to learn more.

8. “It’s infinitely more competitive for emerging apps to compete for limited/fixed consumer appetite for app usage” [Link] [Tweet]

If you’re thinking about building a mobile app (and possibly basing your business around it entirely), this section sums it all up nicely: “The number of mobile apps is skyrocketing. We, the consumers, aren’t using any more apps than we used to. Our home screens are dominated by well-funded, multi-billion dollar apps. It’s infinitely more competitive for emerging apps to compete for limited/fixed consumer appetite for app usage. Your new consumer-facing app is gonna die.”

9. “Sometimes, it takes the cold, harsh truth to burst your cozy bubble.” [Link] [Tweet]

We’re all selling something, including ourselves. Do it right.

10. “It is impossible to short the current perceived tech bubble. The only way is to choose not to invest.” [Link] [Tweet]

It’s worth understanding how monetary policy affects your angel investors and VCs. That money you’re trying to raise isn’t free, you know.

Can I spend a week with you in 2016?

I’ve spent the last few years jetting in/out of places for keynotes and demo days. It’s an effective way for me, as an investor, to meet the maximum amount of companies in the shortest amount of time. I want to give back to local tech communities in 2016.

Here’s the general idea: I’ll come spend a week in your community and we’ll put together a week full of office hours, tech meetups, keynotes and fun. I might even bring some other investors with me to help.

In exchange, you cover my costs and help me figure out how to best help your tech community. Bonus: I might do it all in an Airstream. 🙂

I’m only going to do 6 of these week-long trips in 2016, please fill this out ASAP if you think I can help your local tech community.

VC Vault?

I (and a few of my well known angel and VC friends) meet hundreds, if not thousands, of startups around the world each year. I’m considering opening up the notes we take during these meetings so that other founders and investors might learn (and help us learn).

To be clear, the Vault will never contain confidential information that we receive from a startup (eg, financials, trade secrets, etc) — just our thoughts as professional investors.

Fill this out if you’re interested in getting access to the Vault.

Firehose

You can get the full stream of the things I read, it’s all on Twitter — follow me: @paulsingh. Sometimes I write stuff too. You can always find me on Slack, apply to join.

Have a great weekend!

-P

P.S. If you loved this newsletter, share it with a friend. If you hated this newsletter, share it with an enemy.

Happy Friday.

Hello from Ashburn, VA today.

1. “Finding ways to increase your value while doing the things you love may be the most important thing you do.” [Link] [Tweet]

I’ve been thinking about Imposter Syndrome quite a bit lately. Mostly because it’s something I’ve been experiencing more often than usual throughout 2015 but also because it’s coming up often with students taking my public speaking email course. I’m not sure anyone ever gets over Imposter Syndrome, you just manage it as best as you can.

This paragraph sticks with me: “Well, we often hesitate to believe that what’s natural, maybe even easy for us, can offer any value to the world. In fact, the very act of being really good at something can lead us to discount its value. But after spending a lot of time fine-tuning our ability, isn’t it sort of the point for our skill to look and feel natural?”

2. “everything worth doing is hard.” [Link] [Tweet]

I don’t know if this is my mid-life crisis or just a rough few months for me, but I secretly envy people that have taken back control of their lives.

3. “The problem is that many founders ask for advice in strange ways.” [Link] [Tweet]

Two things:

1. Regardless of whether you’re a founder or you’re an entrepreneurial employee (the world needs both, by the way), this article is for you — it’s the one thing you need to know if you want to get on the radar of people that are going places. Askspecific questions, not broad ones.
2. If there was a Gmail plugin that auto-filtered any email that contained “pick your brain”, “grab some coffee” or any other other common time-wasting phrases, I’d pay for it.

4. “Here’s the thing: everyone hustles.” [Link] [Tweet]

Everyone’s busy. Everyone’s working hard. Everyone’s trying to get ahead. The key, therefore, isn’t to be busier, work harder or get further ahead on your own.

You’re not special but if you help other people get ahead, you will too. Counterintuitive, but true.

5. “What are the point of valuations if you can’t eventually build a business?” [Link] [Tweet]

Unless you’re a VC ramping up to raise your next fund soon or a founder trying to figure out your cap table, valuations are not the yardstick for measuring success.

In fact, focusing solely on valuation is probably a sign that you’re not aware of how complicated term sheets can be in the real world. Someone smart once said: “Here’s a blank term sheet. You can write down any valuation you want as long as I get to set all the remaining terms.”

6. “A dent in the universe is plenty. Curb your ambition. Live happily ever after.” [Link] [Tweet]

DHH FTW. My favorite: “The web is the greatest entrepreneurial platform ever invented. Lowest barriers of entry, greatest human reach ever. I love the web. Permission-less, grand reach, diversity of implementation. Don’t believe this imaginary wall of access of money. It isn’t there.”

7. “Get your head right.” [Link] [Tweet]

In case no one’s reminded you this week: doing your own thing is hard. Really hard.

8. “Starbucks is already handling more than 5 million mobile orders per month—and that figure is growing by the hour.” [Link] [Tweet]

I’ve been using Starbucks’ app for at least a year now but, earlier this week, I used their mobile ordering feature (order anything you want through the app and it’ll be ready for pickup at the nearest store) for the first time.

I have to tell you: it was amazing. Order on the app, walk to the store, head to the pickup area and skip the line in the process. No waiting for people, no fumbling for money and no fuss.

We’re living in the future.

9. “You might be right, but there’s little value in being right.” [Link] [Tweet]

Everyone’s an armchair quarterback, unfortunately.

10. “Most people own things that they don’t really need. It is worth thinking about why.” [Link] [Tweet]

Understanding why people do things is much, much more important than understanding what people do. I call this the invisible game and it’s being played all around you every day.

Sponsor the Results Junkies Community

I put a lot of time and money into this newsletter each week and I’m planning to dial things up in a huge way this year (think: giveaways, contests, meetups and more). If you’d like to help, fill this out and we’ll hop on a quick call to discuss. First come, first serve y’all — as you know, I only send one newsletter each week so you better get on it.

Firehose

You can get the full stream of the things I read, it’s all on Twitter — follow me: @paulsingh. Sometimes I write stuff too. You can always find me on Slack, apply to join.

Have a great weekend!

-P

P.S. If you loved this newsletter, share it with a friend. If you hated this newsletter, share it with an enemy.

Happy Friday.

Hello from Ashburn, VA today.

1. “Finding ways to increase your value while doing the things you love may be the most important thing you do.” [Link] [Tweet]

I’ve been thinking about Imposter Syndrome quite a bit lately. Mostly because it’s something I’ve been experiencing more often than usual throughout 2015 but also because it’s coming up often with students taking my public speaking email course. I’m not sure anyone ever gets over Imposter Syndrome, you just manage it as best as you can.

This paragraph sticks with me: “Well, we often hesitate to believe that what’s natural, maybe even easy for us, can offer any value to the world. In fact, the very act of being really good at something can lead us to discount its value. But after spending a lot of time fine-tuning our ability, isn’t it sort of the point for our skill to look and feel natural?”

2. “everything worth doing is hard.” [Link] [Tweet]

I don’t know if this is my mid-life crisis or just a rough few months for me, but I secretly envy people that have taken back control of their lives.

3. “The problem is that many founders ask for advice in strange ways.” [Link] [Tweet]

Two things:

1. Regardless of whether you’re a founder or you’re an entrepreneurial employee (the world needs both, by the way), this article is for you — it’s the one thing you need to know if you want to get on the radar of people that are going places. Askspecific questions, not broad ones.
2. If there was a Gmail plugin that auto-filtered any email that contained “pick your brain”, “grab some coffee” or any other other common time-wasting phrases, I’d pay for it.

4. “Here’s the thing: everyone hustles.” [Link] [Tweet]

Everyone’s busy. Everyone’s working hard. Everyone’s trying to get ahead. The key, therefore, isn’t to be busier, work harder or get further ahead on your own.

You’re not special but if you help other people get ahead, you will too. Counterintuitive, but true.

5. “What are the point of valuations if you can’t eventually build a business?” [Link] [Tweet]

Unless you’re a VC ramping up to raise your next fund soon or a founder trying to figure out your cap table, valuations are not the yardstick for measuring success.

In fact, focusing solely on valuation is probably a sign that you’re not aware of how complicated term sheets can be in the real world. Someone smart once said: “Here’s a blank term sheet. You can write down any valuation you want as long as I get to set all the remaining terms.”

6. “A dent in the universe is plenty. Curb your ambition. Live happily ever after.” [Link] [Tweet]

DHH FTW. My favorite: “The web is the greatest entrepreneurial platform ever invented. Lowest barriers of entry, greatest human reach ever. I love the web. Permission-less, grand reach, diversity of implementation. Don’t believe this imaginary wall of access of money. It isn’t there.”

7. “Get your head right.” [Link] [Tweet]

In case no one’s reminded you this week: doing your own thing is hard. Really hard.

8. “Starbucks is already handling more than 5 million mobile orders per month—and that figure is growing by the hour.” [Link] [Tweet]

I’ve been using Starbucks’ app for at least a year now but, earlier this week, I used their mobile ordering feature (order anything you want through the app and it’ll be ready for pickup at the nearest store) for the first time.

I have to tell you: it was amazing. Order on the app, walk to the store, head to the pickup area and skip the line in the process. No waiting for people, no fumbling for money and no fuss.

We’re living in the future.

9. “You might be right, but there’s little value in being right.” [Link] [Tweet]

Everyone’s an armchair quarterback, unfortunately.

10. “Most people own things that they don’t really need. It is worth thinking about why.” [Link] [Tweet]

Understanding why people do things is much, much more important than understanding what people do. I call this the invisible game and it’s being played all around you every day.

Sponsor the Results Junkies Community

I put a lot of time and money into this newsletter each week and I’m planning to dial things up in a huge way this year (think: giveaways, contests, meetups and more). If you’d like to help, fill this out and we’ll hop on a quick call to discuss. First come, first serve y’all — as you know, I only send one newsletter each week so you better get on it.

Firehose

You can get the full stream of the things I read, it’s all on Twitter — follow me: @paulsingh. Sometimes I write stuff too. You can always find me on Slack, apply to join.

Have a great weekend!

-P

P.S. If you loved this newsletter, share it with a friend. If you hated this newsletter, share it with an enemy.

Happy Friday.

Hello from Ashburn, VA today where it’s good to be in one timezone for a little longer than usual. I’m planning to dial things up in a huge way this year (think: giveaways, contests, meetups and more) for the Results Junkies community — that’s you — so read through to the bottom of this week’s email if you’re interested.

1. “startups don’t attack existing players head-on.” [Link] [Tweet]

It’s interesting to watch the blockchain-powered companies slowly — but steadily — building solid businesses in the FinTech space. It seems obvious that one of the big publicly traded banks will make the first large acquisition of a “BlockTech” company but I wouldn’t be surprised if a large credit union or small local bank makes the leap first.

Regardless, this is yet-another-reminder that startups should tackle large markets by solving specific problems first — this is your wedge in the door and, assuming your initial product solves a problem, will keep you alive long enough to tackle the next problem. And the next problem. And the next problem. Before you know it, you’re not a startup anymore.

2. “Whether or not this should happen or does happen is besides the point – the point is that most VCs see it coming.” [Link] [Tweet]

Two important takeaways here:

1. Founders shouldn’t worry about whether we’re in a bubble or not, just know that raising your first round will be the easiest money you ever get. The bar is rising for companies seeking later stage funding.
2. Increasing revenue by 5X yearly or 15% month-over-month is the right goal. Hit those numbers and you’re going to be fine.

3. “rating systems have turned customers into unwitting and sometimes unwittingly ruthless middle managers” [Link] [Tweet]

Rating systems have been around us for quite a while now. You’ve used Zagat and Yelp to decide where to eat — most probably by reading the ratings and reviews of others that have dined there. You’ve used Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to gauge someone’s background, experience and network before interviewing them for a job. You’ve even asked your friends for recommendations on a Realtor or car salesperson.

The difference is that Uber, Lyft, Handy and many of the other on-demand platforms — through the ubiquity of mobile devices and beautiful UX/UI — have finally made it incredibly easier to provide feedback on service providers (read: they collect more reviews) and easier to manage those same service providers (example: Uber deactivates drives if their score drops below 4.6 in some regions).

You are the customer and the performance manager. You hold the keys to someone else’s future and, like me, you probably don’t take it seriously enough.

4. “Fundraising is somewhat of a game, and to do it you need to learn how to play.” [Link] [Tweet]

Fundraising is an art, not a science. With that being said, this is a good overview of the process. TLDR: fundraising takes time.

5. “Realize no one cares as much as you do, and that’s OK” [Link] [Tweet]

A lot of people want to be the founder (or the CEO), few of them realize what is actually involved. Read this.

6. “If you’re judging your output by your tiredness, you’re sure to be misled.” [Link] [Tweet]

If you’re in a blue collar / production role, you’re absolutely going to be judged by the amount of time you’re standing on the job site. I know this personally, I used to lay brick and pour concrete. (Note the story of the locksmith in this piece as well.) Changing the perception of the client is nearly impossible. If you want more money, do more visible work.

If you’re in a white collar / knowledge worker role, you’re going to be judged by your output rather than “seat time” at your desk. If you want more money, produce more measurable results.

7. “Don’t ever just show up to a meeting without knowing what it is going to be about.” [Link] [Tweet]

People are careful about spending money when they can see/feel/touch it (eg, “I’m not spending $200 on that shirt, that’s crazy!) but they don’t think twice about calling a 45 minute meeting with 3 people that could effectively cost $1,000 in payroll and overhead. Get it together.

8. “In the VC model, moderate success is almost as big of a risk as bankruptcy.” [Link] [Tweet]

Look, I’d invest in restaurants, car washes and other brick & mortar businesses if I wanted to invest in a “good” company. I don’t want a good company, I want a go-big-or-go-home company.

Counterintuitive: the easier it is for founders to get to their first revenue, the harder it is to make money as an angel or VC.

9. “If you go at it alone, you’re better off angel investing or doing syndicates over AngelList.” [Link] [Tweet]

If you’re considering raising a fund that will end up under $10M, save yourself the hassle and consider AngelList Syndicates or other alternatives. OK,

10. “And it was a revelation to look at the phones. All Android. Most lower cost devices like Moto G.” [Link] [Tweet]

For those of us that have spent the majority of the last decade within the United States, we generally take the costs of our smartphones lightly. Outside the US — where the dollar is more expensive and the median incomes are lower — smartphones and connectivity are much, much different.

Facebook’s experimenting with “2G Tuesdays” to force their engineers to feel the realities in order to build a better experience for users outside of the US. If you’re selling to customers outside the US, you should consider something similar as well.

Sponsor the Results Junkies Community

I put a lot of time and money into this newsletter each week and I’m planning to dial things up in a huge way this year (think: giveaways, contests, meetups and more). If you’d like to help, fill this out and we’ll hop on a quick call to discuss. First come, first serve y’all — as you know, I only send one newsletter each week so you better get on it.

Firehose

You can get the full stream of the things I read, it’s all on Twitter — follow me: @paulsingh. Sometimes I write stuff too. You can always find me on Slack, apply to join.

Have a great weekend!

-P

P.S. If you loved this newsletter, share it with a friend. If you hated this newsletter, share it with an enemy.