Harsh Tiwari’s Post

PSA: People don’t talk about founder integrity enough. You need to know the moral compass of a leader before joining a company — it will matter more for your personal growth than you may realize. Hear me out… If you ask someone what went into their decision to join a startup, they usually say the potential for success of the business. What they don’t think about is this: Is there a risk that the success of the business does not translate to my personal success? People get screwed all the time in the startup world, and it’s actually way more likely to happen when the rocketship is taking off than when it’s crashing. Why do I think this? I don’t just think, I know, I’ve seen it happen to two close friends within the last month — they broke their backs working for a startup and it was *finally* working… and they got fired right before they hit their one-year cliff. The market determines the success of a business, but the moral compass of whoever is in control determines your success within that business. If you joined a company because you believed in the future success of the business, achieving that might be the exact thing that gets you let go. Here’s the math on why: Imagine you were brought in with a 1% equity stake, and then suddenly that company explodes, now that 1% is worth 10X or even 100X what it was initially… but it’s on a vesting schedule, which = you don’t actually own it until after 4 years and often own zero until you have been there for one year (hitting your “cliff”) The company has done so well that new hires for your role are taking on way less risk and would get only a 0.1% equity stake… so you took this risk and you might think it “paid off”… but actually the only thing keeping a founder from firing you and taking back your appreciated equity at that point is their moral compass. I bring this up because I think people are often oblivious to it, and it’s a harsh reality that does happen. And while we can’t stop bad founders from doing this, we can at least realize it can happen and all be more conscious of who we put our trust in. Please keep this in mind next time you’re interviewing with a startup — think about the business, but also the nature of the person you are putting in control of your own outcome.

The Real Secret to Business Success Ever wonder how some companies keep thriving for decades, even after the founders move on to new ventures? There's really no secret - just well-established systems and processes that focus on people over profits.  As a founder, it's easy to rely on your own experience and expertise to steer the ship. But true success happens when a business can run profitably without you constantly putting out fires. ⏩ That's when you know you've built something sustainable Luckily, there are some simple strategies any company can use to scale smoothly, even without their fearless leader at the helm daily: ⏩ DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. Standard operating procedures for regular tasks prevent rediscovering wheels. This frees up time for innovation instead of troubleshooting basics. ⏩ EMPOWER YOUR TEAM. Give employees clarity on their roles and authority to make decisions without constantly checking in. Trusting people develops commitment and motivation. ⏩ COMMUNICATE CLEARLY. Regular check-ins and transparent sharing of goals and expectations keep everyone headed in the same direction, even remotely. ⏩ CELEBRATE WINS PUBLICLY. Recognition shows value is placed on contributions, not just top-line results. This cultivates pride and willingness to go above and beyond. Taking the time to put people first with systems makes the founder’s direct involvement less crucial over time. Holistic growth becomes achievable through continual improvement, not personal heroics. Interested in discovering how to implement human-focused processes at your company to thrive in the long run? Let’s chat about a strategic plan for sustainable scaling! #scale  #entrepreneurship #business #askyvi

Founders, don’t underestimate the importance of starting with a great idea. The notion that you can endlessly pivot your way into success is a myth, often only available to those with privilege and a lot of resources. For most founders, money is scarce. You don’t have the luxury of burning through capital while searching for the right idea. Picking the wrong one at the start is one of the fastest ways to drain your initial (and usually only) source of funding. Take time to evaluate your idea upfront. Make sure it’s solving a real problem, for a specific person (Not a conceptional person - someone you can actually speak to) and that there is truly a larger market for it. A strong start often means the difference between scaling your company or running out of runway too soon. Trust me, I've been there and am speaking from my own person experience. Be strategic from the beginning or don't even start a company in the first place. Your time and resources are extremely valuable. If you are going to go all-in on something, make sure it's worth it! I understand that sometimes taking risk is the only path to move forward, but just be mindful of this going forward. Let me know if you'd want to discuss further. I'm actively seeking to work with founders early in their journey. Just shoot me a message anytime.

The five things Sam Altman looks for in a founder In the clip below, Sam Altman talks through the five things he believes makes really great founders special and what he would look for in a cofounder. 1. “I always figure it out” and “I never give up” “There are two phrases that come to mind if I were trying to pick what our top 10 most successful founders would have said about themselves when we were interviewing them at YC: ‘I always figure it out’ and ‘I never give up’… Everyone thinks that really matters is how smart they are, or their domain expertise, or their network… But it really is this kind of personality trait. People have different phrases for it: determination, relentlessly resourceful is one that Paul Graham uses. But that spirit is the most important factor, I think, in successful founders.” 2. Focus, self-belief, personal connections “There are three things that we have observed about how successful founders get things done: Focus, self-belief, and personal connections… And in fact, if I were looking for a cofounder, I would look for that. Does this person have a relentless focus? Are they just going to get this one thing done and keep their blinders on and not get distracted by shiny objects along the way? Do they actually believe that this is possible? Because momentum is this crazily self-fulfilling prophecy. Can they form the personal connections that it takes to be successful? Will they be able to recruit and retain a world-class team? Will they be able to sell their product? Will they be able to raise money? Will they be able to talk to the press? The ability to form these personal connections is super important.” 3. Clear vision, thought, and communication “Almost all of the best startups that we have ever been involved with, from the very first time we met those founders, they were able to very concisely and clearly communicate what they were doing in ~25 words. And I don’t know why this is so important—maybe that you need to spread the message. But I can certainly say that founders who aren’t good at this don’t really go on to be successful… You can prove this to yourself quickly by looking at the founders of really successful companies. They’re all good at this. So I think this is an area to invest in and get better at.” 4. Ability to attract people to work on the company “Recruiting that 20th employee is really hard. You need an exciting vision and you need to be good at communication and personal relationships. 5. Ability to get a huge amount of work done themselves “The best founders just get a huge amount of work done themselves. So in the early days especially, you kind of have to do everything and there’s a lot to do. And so having focus and maniacal productivity is really important.” Video Source: University of Waterloo Faculty of Engineering

Great insights! Intelligent and skills are important, but perseverance and certain personality traits are key to success

The Top 10 Traits of High-Performing Founders Anyone can start a company. That’s not impressive. What’s rare, and what’s truly admirable, is high performance across the key areas of life sustained over a long time. That is sustainable career success alongside great health and an enjoyable, rich life. How to achieve this? By developing the right traits. 𝟭. 𝗥𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 They delegate tasks outside their core strengths to avoid burnout and ensure they’re focusing only on high-leverage activities. 𝟮. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿-𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗙𝗶𝘁 High-performing founders are obsessed with the problem they’re trying to solve, making their work feel fulfilling rather than a chore. 𝟯. 𝗔𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗨𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 (𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲) They empower their team to work with urgency without falling into the trap of hustle culture. They value effectiveness > activity. 𝟰. 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁, 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 & 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 They express their thoughts clearly and courageously, ensuring important conversations are productive and truthful. 𝟱. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 They invest in their physical and mental well-being, recognizing that their health fuels their energy, productivity, and longevity. 𝟲. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 Their enthusiasm and positive energy attracts and motivates others, fostering a collaborative and dynamic environment. 𝟳. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆 They swiftly learn from failures and move forward, keeping their focus on future goals rather than past mistakes. 𝟴. 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 They are driven by a compelling vision of the future, using it as motivation to shape their actions and decisions. 𝟵. 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 They establish clear limits on their time and energy to enhance efficiency, avoid overwork, and ensure sustainability. 𝟭𝟬. 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 They celebrate and support others’ achievements, understanding that creating a larger pie is the primary goal. High-performing founders succeed by focusing on what truly matters and ignoring what doesn’t. It’s not about being the smartest or working the hardest—it’s about building a rich life and impactful business that sustains you for the long haul.

5 tips from Founders on: How to.. Deal with setbacks and rejection It’s inevitably part of any founder’s journey: No success without setbacks and rejections. When Sander Peltenburg and I started asking founders about their greatest setbacks and how to deal with them, we gathered a long list of experiences. The most mentioned: 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭-𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐭: Might sound easy and logical, right? However, maintaining the good spirit required to continue going can be challenging. What about when you're finally on the road to product-market fit and your sales are lifting off, but then Corona hits, rendering two years' worth of logistics, partnership building, and sales useless? @Sander can tell you all about it. 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠: Yes, you know rejection is part of the journey. But hearing ‘no’ numerous times after endless pitching and reaching out to investors, or facing a major setback in the final stage of negotiation with your run rate running out, simply hurts. We spoke to a founder who, at the notary, got a call from its ‘future’ investor that due to last-minute changing market perspectives decided not to continue the investment process. Heartbreaking! 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Finding the right people, especially in an early-stage startup, often seems like an endless job. And when you have your team in place; sometimes keeping them is. Having to lose some of your key people or your priceless lead developer because ‘the market’ simply pays more can certainly be frustrating. The stories are endless: unwanted ‘buy-outs’, founders who see no other option than having to part ways. How do you deal with those situations and assure you stay motivated? Below, 5 tips from founders on dealing with setbacks. What is on your mind, can you relate to any of the examples above or have a specific struggle you are dealing with? You can always reach out to us (or other peers :-)). Speaking out and learning that many Founders share similar experiences or struggles is already very helpful. Having a good support ecosystem is one of the key factors to success as a founder. That’s what #Founderresilience is all about. Connect in DM or respond to the message below.

As a founder, you face infinite obstacles and challenges every day.I thought it would be interesting to list the 5 most common challenges and how to approach them. 💥𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟱 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝟭.𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝘆🧭 Understanding your 'why' in a deep and meaningful way can help you overcome challenges, prioritize your actions effectively, and communicate the real value proposition to your customers and investors. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to find your 'Why': What problem are you solving? What impact do you want to make? 𝟮.𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 🚀  It's essential to validate your assumptions about your customers, their problems, and potential solutions. Begin as early as possible to test your ideas with real users Remember! Engage with potential customers BEFORE you start developing your solution. Conversations with your target audience can significantly refine the scope of your solution. 𝟯.𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘆💸 Understand your financial requirements: Have a clear grasp of the financial needs of your business. Create a solid business plan; this should articulate your business model, market opportunity, and growth strategy to potential investors. The right investors bring more than just money to the table; they can offer invaluable advice, mentorship, and networking opportunities that can accelerate the growth of your business. 𝟰.𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺✳️ Achieving your vision alone is a daunting, if not impossible, task. A great team that supports your vision and complements your skills is indispensable Consider prioritizing candidates who have diverse project experiences, including both successes and failures. It's crucial to identify individuals who have previously driven innovation, as they are likely to be proactive and bring fresh ideas to your venture. Engaging and maintaining team commitment is an ongoing process that requires creativity and flexibility. Recognizing individual contributions and ensuring a shared sense of purpose among team members are key strategies to keep motivation high. 𝟱.𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀💢 The journey of a startup founder is fraught with pressure, challenges, and uncertainties, making stress management essential for maintaining health, happiness, and productivity. Don’t hesitate to ask for help or seek support from mentors, friends, and peers 𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗨𝗦. 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘆🔲 (𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆) 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 (𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻). Tractionboard.co (Techstars 23') Arohi Jain Oscar Scoppa

Scaling Pitfalls: A Guide for Founders Growing a business is an exhilarating journey, but it's filled with pitfalls that can hinder scaling. Ashna Bhadani, Ex-Deal Manager at Let's Venture, shared insights on common scaling pitfalls and how founders can navigate them to ensure sustainable growth. 1️⃣ **Lack of Clear Strategy**: Without a clear roadmap, scaling becomes a shot in the dark. Founders must define their vision and steps to get there. 2️⃣ **Ignoring Market Research**: Understanding market needs is crucial. Neglecting this can lead to offering products or services that no one wants. Nokia, Blackberry are examples of this pitfall. 3️⃣ **Insufficient Funding**: If you're unable to sustain your company, it's better to dilute equity and ensure its growth. Timing is crucial in fundraising. 4️⃣ **Overlooking Technology Upgrades**: In a world driven by innovation, staying updated with technology is not optional but a necessity. 5️⃣ **Hasty Hiring**: Rapid hiring and firing can lead to a mismatch in team dynamics and culture. Invest time in finding the right talent that aligns with your company's values. 6️⃣ **Failure to Delegate**: Growth requires teamwork. Founders must learn to delegate effectively to focus on strategic growth areas. 7️⃣ **Overexpanding Geographically**: Expansion must be strategic and well-thought-out. Attempting to expand into a country without understanding its culture can lead to costly and challenging pitfalls. 8️⃣ **Neglecting Legal and Compliance Issues**: Regulatory hurdles can stall or even reverse growth. Stay on top of legal requirements to avoid pitfalls. For instance, selling medicines online was once illegal, highlighting the importance of understanding and complying with evolving regulations. 9️⃣ **Lack of Flexibility**: Founders should remain open to bringing in talented cofounders or top-level team members and consider allocating equity to them. This flexibility is crucial for scaling the company effectively from its initial stages to substantial growth. Flexibility in adapting to market changes is also vital for success The VC Fellowship by HIREVC 🥂 #BusinessScaling #StartupGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #FoundersGuide #GrowthMindset #venturecapital

Having founded multiple companies and guided countless aspiring entrepreneurs, I continually witness the transformative power of perseverance. I never compromise on the time I spend offering founders candid and constructive feedback. It is a personal commitment for me to directly respond to every single query that lands in my inbox. Why? Because some of the most groundbreaking ventures stem from initial adversity. Consider this: Steve Jobs? Fired from the company he co-founded only to return and revolutionize the industry. Sara Blakely? Rejected by manufacturers who said her product wouldn't sell. Jeff Bezos? Laughed at when he proposed an online bookstore. J.K. Rowling? Turned down by multiple publishers before creating a publishing phenomenon. Elon Musk? Battled through years of failures and scrutiny before achieving significant success. Emily Weiss? Faced skepticism on her journey to build a billion-dollar beauty brand. These stories aren't just isolated cases; they underscore a universal truth. Challenges and setbacks are the foundation upon which some of the brightest futures are built. Every founder should remember this: rejection isn't the end; often, it's the beginning of a remarkable journey.