I’m retiring the format of an article as an outdated layout of indirect communication (in my case – with startup founders).
After dedicating over six weeks to the profound research, I came to the following conclusion – an article is a good, familiar, acceptable format, yet it’s not good enough for startup founders.
Of course, someone might not like my conclusion. And that’s okay. I’m not seeking everyone’s liking, it’s only the right humans who matter.
Anyways, here’s the new layout:
1. Every 1st of every month I’ll share a piece of valuable advice for startup founders and VCs.
2. It will be short and have the most value per word.
3. I’ll probably ditch the pictures.
4. The purpose of advice will be – to help startup founders integrate network effects, launch the compounding effect, and move further on the path of exponential growth.
5. I’ll probably share some useful links (products, solutions, humans, quotes, ideas, ongoing pitch competitions, grants, etc.).
The distinctive feature of this advice will be its practicality. As a startup founder, you’d be able to study it and apply immediately. Hence the 1st of the month – to help you accelerate your growth during the next 30 or so days.
As Paul Graham neatly put it:
“At YC, the definition of a startup is a company designed or created to grow very quickly.”
If you’re not trying to build a company that grows very quickly, then you’re just building a one-more-regular company, a small business.
To merely state that you are growing or can grow very quickly is not enough – you need solid evidence that your company can actually do it.
And this is exactly the point of my monthly valuable advice – to build your evidence.