Without a startup team that works together and has achieved a pattern of consistent execution, your startup will fail to get out of the starting gate. For those that have been part of a dysfunctional team that somehow got funding, it’s the same old story: Sales is selling stuff that doesn't exist. Engineers are building things they find interesting, not based on the product roadmap. Marketing has decided to drop a few grand flying (probably first class) to events like SXSW that have little value to the business. The VP elite spends lots of time in strategy meetings. At this point, no amount of “methodology” can cure a dysfunctional team.

Here are a few ideas to help prevent that worst-case scenario where individuals in the company stop working together and become more concerned with individual accomplishments.

Sitting in the Austin airport as I prepare to return to Boston after my first SXSW, I've realized I've just completed a truly one of a kind experience. It sounds cheesy, but it really is unlike anything else and until you go, you really won't understand it. Still, in my effort to share what I know, I'd like to share my lessons learned from a number of rookie mistakes.

Recently, there has been a flurry of startups and startup ideas that have entered the market. All great for the economy: helping create new jobs, technology, and enhancing the quality of life for their users. During your initial investigation, it is imperative to evaluate and understand the type of business model that will put into place. If you don’t, your venture will just turn into a hobby that will eat away at your time.
 

Whether your working on a Technology or apparel venture, it is imperative to have a plan and a strategy that you can share with the rest of the team. Through my personal endeavors, working at a VC firm, and for IDEA (Northeastern’s Venture Accelerator) I have found that ‘milestone-based planning’ seems to be the best method to help guide a venture through its development.

Over the past few years, I have had the privilege of taking a look at a variety of different businesses and think I found the magic formula that I run through to see if a company is viable or not.  Here are the top 5 buckets to take into consideration when trying to create a venture.

Last week, we talk about doing your ‘homework’ before joining a startup and the different categories you should investigate to help make your decision. Now, lets discuss the different questions you should ask in order to finalize your employment decision.

Being "green" to the startup scene as well as being a first-time entrepreneur, you have a lot more hurdles to overcome to succeed with your startup compared to the ones who have "been there done that".  Although it certainly is a bit more difficult to succeed due to the lack of an established network of being green and from the lack of prior experience of running a successful startup, it does not mean it is impossible!  There are additional works to be done and steps to be taken, but remember, all the successful entrepreneurs were once in your shoes too.

So what can you do to maximize the chances of your success and more importantly, what can you do to maximize your growth and learning as an entrepreneur?

So you are ready to make the leap and want to join a startup? I know you are just as excited as the next person to get into a company that has the potential of becoming the next Google and learning a few things along the way. Here are a few topics that you should cover in your interviews, meetings, or simply asking the founders and other employees.

Traditionally anyone who wants to start a company ALWAYS thinks about writing a business plan, ehhhhhh! Forget about it.  Most of the time writing a business plan is required by banks and other commercial lenders but for the most part, I and many other investors believe that it’s a bunch of fluff. Here are the essentials in creating a “Roadmap” that answers the questions you need to be able to convey to any investor, potential team member, or can serve as an outline for doing your homework before starting any venture.