As a startup coach, I focus on two things -- helping founders understand how things work and getting them to put at least half their weekly effort into the one thing that matters most at their stage.
In the last week, that included the following:
* Helped a founder understand that no matter how optimistically they frame their company's future, investors are going to look at their data and pass on a Seed 2, so they have to cut their team in half ASAP.
* Framed for a founder who has a massive presentation next week to think in terms of: 1) Who is the audience? 2) How do you want them to feel at the end of your presentation? 3) What do you want them to do next?
* Explained to a founder that for many reasons (demand asymmetry and desire to protect their time), VCs are always going to suck at following up and to not take that shit personally.
* Provided a founder a framework to more easily and dispassionately think through a very triggering issue in their startup. SPIN for the win, Joseph Logan!
* Reminded a pair of founders that testing an idea isn't the same as committing to that idea and inspired them to roll it out for a month to see what happens.
* Asked a founder to commit to spending the first half of every day for the next week exclusively focused on sales. Actually, did this like four times. Sales matters.
* Reminded the founder of a startup that has already raised ~$2M that it's probably better to find a couple of $25k angel checks than doing contract work on the side to make up for some unexpected personal income needs.
* Told a founder in no uncertain terms that it's insane to focus on driving more leads when they already have hundreds of people going to their dedicated signup page each week and they're converting less than 1% of them.
* Helped a founder understand that in pivoting the business they've run for a decade means coming to terms with a fundamental redefinition of themselves AND also reminded them that it's a huge waste of time relitigating decisions in the absence of new data, regardless of how they feel.
* Oh, and I worked on a client's rental property on Saturday because their former tenants absolutely wrecked it and they need to keep it leased for personal income while building their startup.
Coaching isn't a one-size-fits-all process. I am skeptical of anyone who shows up with a Step A through Stap Z plan, because every founder and business is unique.
And even so, the feedback is always one of two things:
"Here's what is actually going on here -- with this information, you can probably figure out how to navigate it yourself."
"We both know there is only one thing that matters to your business right now. You have permission to ignore everything else."
I love my job.
And I currently have two coaching slots available. Let me know if you're interested in what we ight accomplish together.