By now we probably all understand that the current market situation in the tech industry is not just a blip, but likely a serious downturn that could last many months or even years. I’ve been through two downturns as a startup founder (2000/01 and 2008/09) and am now experiencing this Read more…
What are the roles in a tech startup that are hardest to hire for? Most people would probably immediately say “software engineers”, and that’s correct from an absolute point of view. Tech startups need many engineers, and everybody is competing for them. But I would argue that there are three Read more…
“Our technology is so brilliant that it will sell itself. Maybe at some point we’ll hire a sales guy who can take care of phone calls and paperwork.” “Our business idea is amazing, and we really know how to sell it. Building the product is the least of our worries. Read more…
Humans are a tribal species. We evolved in small bands of hunters and gatherers. Close collaboration within your group and scepticism towards any outsiders was a precondition for survival. Later, humans organized in larger groups called tribes, which had more complex social structures. This was the dominant organizational pattern for Read more…
Being an entrepreneur, particularly a founder of a fast growing tech startup, is obviously a hard job. Anybody who chooses this career is probably aware that it comes with long hours, many ups and downs and plenty of challenging situations. Entrepreneurship traditionally has a culture of relentless optimism. Ask any Read more…
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast” — Peter Drucker’s famous quote summarizes well how important a strong culture is for any company’s success. Particularly tech startups have gone to great lengths in consciously shaping their culture and even exposing their cultural principles publicly (as in the example of Hubspot). But one Read more…
A year ago I became a venture capitalist after 23 years as a startup founder and early-stage startup executive. At the beginning of 2019 I joined btov Partners, one of Europe’s most established VC firms, as a full-time investing partner, and the experience has been quite eye-opening. When you interact Read more…
At the beginning of this year, I switched to the other side of the table. I was an entrepreneur for almost 24 years, and I recently took on a new role as a partner at btov, a European VC firm. It’s a rewarding and fascinating job. The part I like Read more…
Go to any early-stage startup website, and you’ll likely find a page proudly listing advisors, probably half a dozen or more. Advisors are mentioned in most funding pitches and sometimes even in sales presentations. Having a strong group of well-known advisors has become a quality signal for startups, a proof Read more…
Tech startups are not exactly known as bastions of sane work-life balance. Startup jobs have a reputation of requiring very long work hours, and many role models elevate this picture: Elon Musk supposedly works 120 hours a week. Twitter and Square founder Jack Dorsey by comparison slacks off with just Read more…