Startup Common Sense
42floors.com
Startup Common Sense
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Re: Startup Common Sense
#2Here's some common sense: if you're the CEO of a startup, you should be focused on your own company. Period.
This might come off as overly harsh, but it's absolutely true: taking 45-plus minutes out of your day to engage in an "argumentative" call with "the brother of a friend" who has a "world-changing idea" is a waste of time. As is blogging about it.
Your job as CEO is not to advise other entrepreneurs or to preach the startup gospel; it's to steer your own ship.
Re: Startup Common Sense
#3Here's some common sense: if you're the CEO of a startup, you should be focused on your own company. Period. This might come off as overly harsh, but it's absolutely true: taking 45-plus minutes out of your day to engage in an "argumentative" call with "the brother of a friend" who has a "world-changing idea" is a waste of time. As is blogging about it. Your job as CEO is not to advise other entrepreneurs or to preac…
That's the uncommon sense. The startup common sense is that the blog is on the domain 42floors.com and that people may link to the blog post. Nough said.
Re: Startup Common Sense
#4Here's some common sense: if you're the CEO of a startup, you should be focused on your own company. Period. This might come off as overly harsh, but it's absolutely true: taking 45-plus minutes out of your day to engage in an "argumentative" call with "the brother of a friend" who has a "world-changing idea" is a waste of time. As is blogging about it. Your job as CEO is not to advise other entrepreneurs or to preac…
But your job as a person is to not be an asshole to your friends. And one's job as a person is far more important as one's job as a CEO.
Re: Startup Common Sense
#5Here's some common sense: if you're the CEO of a startup, you should be focused on your own company. Period. This might come off as overly harsh, but it's absolutely true: taking 45-plus minutes out of your day to engage in an "argumentative" call with "the brother of a friend" who has a "world-changing idea" is a waste of time. As is blogging about it. Your job as CEO is not to advise other entrepreneurs or to preac…
CEOs don't get 45 descretionary minutes?
Re: Startup Common Sense
#6Here's some common sense: if you're the CEO of a startup, you should be focused on your own company. Period. This might come off as overly harsh, but it's absolutely true: taking 45-plus minutes out of your day to engage in an "argumentative" call with "the brother of a friend" who has a "world-changing idea" is a waste of time. As is blogging about it. Your job as CEO is not to advise other entrepreneurs or to preac…
Wow I couldn't disagree more.
I have a rule that I'll never turn down a 30-45 minute catchup with someone who needs some advice, or wants a sounding board, or just wants to talk about something they're excited about. Life is about people, and has a funny way of turning things around so that those kinds of meetings grow into friendships, business connections, and sometimes of course - nothing at all.
Most people agree that mentor-mentee relationships benefit both parties equally well. I've definitely found this to be true. While these kinds of interactions may not be the same kind of dynamic as a long-term mentor relationship, spending a small chunk of time can also break you out of a rut or give you a new idea.
Don't discount the power of taking a few minutes out of your day to pay it forward.
Re: Startup Common Sense
#7Here's some common sense: if you're the CEO of a startup, you should be focused on your own company. Period. This might come off as overly harsh, but it's absolutely true: taking 45-plus minutes out of your day to engage in an "argumentative" call with "the brother of a friend" who has a "world-changing idea" is a waste of time. As is blogging about it. Your job as CEO is not to advise other entrepreneurs or to preac…
CEOs don't get 45 descretionary minutes?
When you choose to be the CEO of a company and you hire employees, you're no longer just working for yourself. How a CEO spends his time means everything to the company and its employees.
I don't know how you would you feel if you worked at the OP's startup, but I would have a problem with the notion that the person ultimately responsible for making payroll found it worthwhile and enjoyable to spend 45-plus minutes defending his views on startups and arguing with a person who wanted him to sign an NDA about an unrelated business idea.
It's not the 45-plus minutes, it's how he chose to spend them.
Re: Startup Common Sense
#8Here's some common sense: if you're the CEO of a startup, you should be focused on your own company. Period. This might come off as overly harsh, but it's absolutely true: taking 45-plus minutes out of your day to engage in an "argumentative" call with "the brother of a friend" who has a "world-changing idea" is a waste of time. As is blogging about it. Your job as CEO is not to advise other entrepreneurs or to preac…
Wow I couldn't disagree more. I have a rule that I'll never turn down a 30-45 minute catchup with someone who needs some advice, or wants a sounding board, or just wants to talk about something they're excited about. Life is about people, and has a funny way of turning things around so that those kinds of meetings grow into friendships, business connections, and sometimes of course - nothing at all. Most people agree…
I'm not suggesting that there's no room for developing and maintaining relationships.
But when you're the CEO of a company with employees and/or investors, you need to prioritize and filter, and you need to recognize the important, worthwhile conversations from the unimportant, unproductive ones.
Spending an hour of your time arguing with a person who doesn't want your advice in the first place and won't even tell you what he's working on without an NDA clearly falls into the latter category.
Re: Startup Common Sense
#9Here's some common sense: if you're the CEO of a startup, you should be focused on your own company. Period. This might come off as overly harsh, but it's absolutely true: taking 45-plus minutes out of your day to engage in an "argumentative" call with "the brother of a friend" who has a "world-changing idea" is a waste of time. As is blogging about it. Your job as CEO is not to advise other entrepreneurs or to preac…
I was under the impression 42floors use their blog as a way to come to the attention to their target audience.
Re: Startup Common Sense
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
Wow I couldn't disagree more. I have a rule that I'll never turn down a 30-45 minute catchup with someone who needs some advice, or wants a sounding board, or just wants to talk about something they're excited about. Life is about people, and has a funny way of turning things around so that those kinds of meetings grow into friendships, business connections, and sometimes of course - nothing at all. Most people agree…
I'm not suggesting that there's no room for developing and maintaining relationships. But when you're the CEO of a company with employees and/or investors, you need to prioritize and filter, and you need to recognize the important, worthwhile conversations from the unimportant, unproductive ones. Spending an hour of your time arguing with a person who doesn't want your advice in the first place and won't even tell yo…
Spending an hour of your time in a discussion which helps you reaffirm and/or challenge your own beliefs can be incredibly valuable.