Disclaimer: The points mentioned here are my evaluation from many founders and co-founders I have professionally known.
First of all, it takes a hell lot of guts to even think of starting a Start-Up and on top of that if you have these issues or problems or symptoms (as listed below), you definitely do not have the Start-Up material in you! Having said that, you might be an awesome employee!
First of all, it takes a hell lot of guts to even think of starting a Start-Up and on top of that if you have these issues or problems or symptoms (as listed below), you definitely do not have the Start-Up material in you! Having said that, you might be an awesome employee!
1. You are Rich: You may have all the money in the world but if your heart is not in that idea then you will become a liability to the team. You may become a big dictator who wants things to be done your way, but you do not lead by example. If you are smart enough, you will excuse yourself out of it, if not, the team will definitely start leaving you. Worst, you will become a pain in the ass and that will be way too embarrassing for YOU and for everyone.
2. Your bath and the idea: If you do not think about that 1 idea which you want to ‘make it big’ with in your shower, then you may not be passionate enough to be putting your heart and soul into it. It’s very similar the concept, if you do not dream about it…
3. Hardcore Techie. That’s it. : You love coding, you are a champion at it, you love technical challenges and dreams of building the next Google, facebook or twitter (did I miss Instagram) BUT you are not the kind who likes meeting people, writing introduction emails, articles or blogs, commenting at various forums, showing up at events, seminars or become a panelist at group discussions then you are just a techie and you need to have another co-founder who can do all of the above.
4. Confused and apparent: It might be ok if you do not know how you will be placed 10 years from the day you start, but if you are not too sure right away on where you need to focus and keep changing the strategy, goals and directions on every small spark here n there then this will hit very badly in your current start up and even haunt your entire entrepreneurship phase in life!
This behavior will have a cascading/ ripple effect on the employees who are hopeful of making it big thought this start up. They will obviously lose moral and the zeal to work for a small organisation which starts making it harder and harder for them to convince their parents on to why he/she wants to continue in this company any longer. Given the comfort zone parents want their children to be in. Typical to Indian culture!
5. One Man Army: You are energetic, savvy, cool, composed and intelligent. Very good. But you also want to do all things on your own or at least you feel you can do it better. Making things worse, you actually go ahead and pick up tasks and start doing it (more often than not)! Very bad. Everyone cannot be as passionate as you are as it’s your baby but you cannot be doing everything on your own – making it practically impossible to grow! It will just slow down the team, quite literally and also pass on a very wrong message!
You, as a co-founder, should be involved in matters that impact the company and not in daily coding (This statement is not valid if you have your areas defined and 1 of the co-founders is dedicated to business development and PR).
More over, if it was supposed to be a one man show, one man idea only, then the others (read early joiners) will be treated like a bull and that’s not why they would have joined you for, isn’t it? It is also a futile concept as you will not be able to sustain with a single minded thinking for long!
6. Behaves like an employee: You might be having issues and would love to mingle with your employee and open up, but don’t mix these. You cannot be winning or cribbing about process or stuff for which you yourself are responsible! And that too adding your woes to what the employees are cribbing about. A very strange thing to do, isn’t it? YOU need to bring the change.
The point that am trying to make is, you need to know where you are headed, give enough freedom but have overall command of the stable. Showcase your confidence, appreciate your employees, be open to feedback and work upon it.
Else, you have a job, are a very good employee and earn well…stay there.
3. Hardcore Techie. That’s it. : You love coding, you are a champion at it, you love technical challenges and dreams of building the next Google, facebook or twitter (did I miss Instagram) BUT you are not the kind who likes meeting people, writing introduction emails, articles or blogs, commenting at various forums, showing up at events, seminars or become a panelist at group discussions then you are just a techie and you need to have another co-founder who can do all of the above.
4. Confused and apparent: It might be ok if you do not know how you will be placed 10 years from the day you start, but if you are not too sure right away on where you need to focus and keep changing the strategy, goals and directions on every small spark here n there then this will hit very badly in your current start up and even haunt your entire entrepreneurship phase in life!
This behavior will have a cascading/ ripple effect on the employees who are hopeful of making it big thought this start up. They will obviously lose moral and the zeal to work for a small organisation which starts making it harder and harder for them to convince their parents on to why he/she wants to continue in this company any longer. Given the comfort zone parents want their children to be in. Typical to Indian culture!
5. One Man Army: You are energetic, savvy, cool, composed and intelligent. Very good. But you also want to do all things on your own or at least you feel you can do it better. Making things worse, you actually go ahead and pick up tasks and start doing it (more often than not)! Very bad. Everyone cannot be as passionate as you are as it’s your baby but you cannot be doing everything on your own – making it practically impossible to grow! It will just slow down the team, quite literally and also pass on a very wrong message!
You, as a co-founder, should be involved in matters that impact the company and not in daily coding (This statement is not valid if you have your areas defined and 1 of the co-founders is dedicated to business development and PR).
More over, if it was supposed to be a one man show, one man idea only, then the others (read early joiners) will be treated like a bull and that’s not why they would have joined you for, isn’t it? It is also a futile concept as you will not be able to sustain with a single minded thinking for long!
6. Behaves like an employee: You might be having issues and would love to mingle with your employee and open up, but don’t mix these. You cannot be winning or cribbing about process or stuff for which you yourself are responsible! And that too adding your woes to what the employees are cribbing about. A very strange thing to do, isn’t it? YOU need to bring the change.
The point that am trying to make is, you need to know where you are headed, give enough freedom but have overall command of the stable. Showcase your confidence, appreciate your employees, be open to feedback and work upon it.
Else, you have a job, are a very good employee and earn well…stay there.