Start-ups for beginners

Holly is grateful for accepting a new position that she feels great about, that allowed her to drop two jobs she was only so-so about. She works for a start-up.

00:55 Challenge: What are some good resources for someone who doesn't have experience with start-ups? How can I find people who've been in this position before, to be able to chat with them? 

01:30 Question: What's your role in the company?

01:31 Operations and accounting. I don't know where to look for a mentor in a similar company - small. 

01:49 Question: Is the start-up funded already?

01:49 Yes.

01:55 Question: Can they pay salaries? 

01:55 No, not yet. 

02:03 Question: So people are just working for equity right now?

02:03 No, just working part time. 

02:10 Question: What is the biggest challenge for the start-up itself right now? Marketing? Sales? Delivery? Mindset?

02:21 Sales, spreading the word. 

02:27 Question: So marketing and sales, start-up. Will the new people be working on commission? 

02:36 No, we're not looking to hire anyone. 

02:43 Suggestion: So for resources, Y-Combinator, 500 Start-Ups, Dave McClure. Erik Reese, Lean Start-Up, is a great book. 

02:52 Question: So your role is operations, you might be wearing other hats, but is that what you're being paid for mainly? 

03:06 We're organizing that right now. For now it's mostly me getting things ready to be scaled. 

03:29 Suggestion: Focus on building the systems they need to scale. So focus on other companies that have scaled. 

03:58 Suggestion: Talk to Matt Richie. Matt is in our group, he worked with Jay Brown. He helps grow companies, and he's starting a Mastermind around it. 

04:24 Suggestion: The book Extreme Ownership was recommended to me. 

04:41 Suggestion: Book: Traction. Great start-up, operational-based.

05:15 Question: Let's spread the word. What is the word that you're spreading? What is your target avatar right now? What are you leading them to? What's the offer?

05:26 It's CBD creme; face products, sleep spray, higher level cosmetics. It's called Culture For Good. 

05:45 Suggestion: First rule of marketing, always be marketing.

05:51 Suggestion: Talk with Cece Bodela? She markets direct sales CBD for a living. 

06:20 Suggestion: Chris from Alexinol? 

Three Key Points:

1. Books for start-ups: Extreme Ownership and Traction
2. Network; leverage the groups you’re in.
3. Don’t be tempted to put on too many hats; define your role early.