Unexpected Challenges in Startups#
People have significant differences in how they approach tasks, which is rarely experienced in large companies.#
The main reason is that large companies have a large pool of people to choose from, resulting in a smaller variance among the selected individuals. However, in startups, the pool of options is small, leading to a high variance that can be surprising. This is beneficial for personal growth because exposure to diverse perspectives stimulates thinking and improves communication skills.
Takeaway - It is necessary to maintain standards and adhere to principles. In large companies, because people have similar ways of thinking, there are rarely cases that require strong arguments and fights (although occasionally there are). However, in startups, such situations are common, so one must adapt. If you compromise your own stance in a startup, especially if you have had formal training in a large company, you may miss out on a great educational opportunity and increase the likelihood of rework in the future.
Too many exit options make it easy to give up (especially for technical roles in software companies)#
For technical roles, whether it's an individual contributor (IC) or a Chief Technology Officer (CTO), their skill sets are often highly transferable. This means that if they leave one company, there are always other high-paying opportunities waiting for them. When facing obstacles, such as dealing with extremely frustrating conflicts, individuals may question why they are putting up with unpleasant situations when they could easily work independently.
Product Lead is a strategic role, not a design role#
A good product lead should not overly focus on UX design but rather prioritize product strategies.
Takeaway
- As a product lead, it is important to consider not only user experience design but also long-term strategic goals. Understanding user needs and preferences is the foundation of being a good product lead, but more importantly, it is crucial to know how to build a viable product strategy based on these foundations and align user experience with long-term strategic goals.
- Additionally, a product lead should consider the sustainable development of the team. For a product, there needs to be a clear roadmap from basic functionalities to more advanced ones, with continuous updates and iterations to meet the ever-changing needs of users.
- The role of the founder is crucial. They need to have a holistic view and control the strategic direction of the entire product, rather than getting too involved in technical details. Understanding user experience is important, but it is even more important to grasp long-term strategic goals.
Different interpretations of the same concept#
Everyone knows some common well-acknowledged truths, such as fast iteration and user experience. However, when these seemingly common sense concepts are put together, there can often be significant differences in interpretation. For example, everyone knows that experience is important and that rapid iteration is important. But if these two aspects conflict, where should the line be drawn? How should the trade-offs be balanced? These are often points of contention.
Termination#
Terminating someone is not just about revoking their login access; it can also affect team morale. Therefore, it is important to have clear standards and communicate expectations clearly to minimize surprises.
- The best outcome is when someone is terminated and their colleagues are not surprised, while their supervisor feels relieved.
It is difficult to put knowledge into action#
For example, during retrospectives, certain action items may be repeatedly mentioned, but most people still tend to engage in activities that everyone agrees should be stopped. The real challenge lies in aligning knowledge and action. It is easy to say that you "know" what is right or wrong, but changing behavior is truly difficult.
Wishful thinking#
Founders often start with wishful thinking. This is why there is a saying that startups truly begin after the first pivot, as founders need a reality check to realize that things are not as initially expected.
The whole world operates like a startup#
Everyone is constantly learning and adapting. As people gain deeper insights into specific industries, the limitations of their knowledge become more apparent. Someone may have deep knowledge in a specific vertical but become a novice in a different field. For a business, especially one with a grand vision, it is impossible for one core member to carry the entire load. Therefore, it is important to be prepared for the fact that some team members may be strong in certain areas but not credible in others. This applies to founders as well (especially founders).
Important individuals must have skin in the game#
Referring to the idea of having too many exit options, important individuals often have many choices. Especially when conflicts arise, if these individuals do not have skin in the game, they may easily walk away. While vision can impress people temporarily, if conflicts persist, these individuals will truly leave.
Giving and receiving effective feedback is challenging#
Here is a useful feedback framework from Netflix, the 4A framework:
Small and high-quality teams are crucial#
Do not expand the team just for the sake of speed. As a core member, it is important to control the desire to expand and follow the principle of "slow is fast" - even in a startup that emphasizes rapid iteration, it is important to establish stability before speed.
Quick Brain Dump (need to organize thoughts)
- January 5, 2023 11:56 AM Some problems exist regardless of company size, and one should not expect to avoid them by switching projects or companies. For example, if there is a lack of strategic vision, companies of any size can fall into the trap of focusing on small optimizations rather than prioritizing larger goals. If you find these issues frustrating in large companies, moving to a small company may not naturally solve them. Therefore, having strategic vision is crucial, and one must "follow + do + choose" the right people.
- January 6, 2023 Startups teach valuable lessons that can greatly benefit work in large companies - especially in areas where startups frequently face challenges that large companies often simplify. If you return to being an employee in the future, these skills will definitely come in handy.
- January 10, 2023 Building a team is more difficult and time-consuming than I initially expected, possibly due to the greater differences among team members in small companies.
- January 11, 2023 10:44 AM When a project becomes complex, it is easier to manage people than tasks. The reason is that people do not suddenly appear or disappear, but projects or tasks can change at any time, especially in fast-paced projects where you may not have visibility. Managing tasks can easily lead to oversights.
- January 11, 2023 10:44 AM Self-doubt is everywhere - whether I am doing the right thing, whether it has value, whether I should say or not say certain things, whether I am making a contribution. Therefore, building a resilient mindset is essential... live with self-doubt.
- January 12, 2023 8:54 AM Fight to the end because there is no one to back you up. Unlike in large companies where you can always escalate to someone, as long as you are doing things correctly with evidence and accountability, you don't have to worry too much. However, in startups, even if you are doing things right, if you don't fight, someone will try to discredit you. So the only way is to fight to the end.
- January 14, 2023 If given the opportunity, always aim to be a CEO. Although being a CTO is a good transitional role, most of the time it is still a high-level employee position. If you have your own insights on many things, it is better to be a CEO, as it will make it easier to push things forward that were previously difficult to accomplish. Of course, this requires judgment and strategic vision.
- January 14, 2023 Some abstract numbers can have a tangible impact on the real world and people's experiences. In large companies, some numbers may seem abstract. However, when you start doing things yourself, numbers such as runway (the time a company can operate with its current resources), development cycles, and the number of projects being simultaneously pursued are not just numbers on paper. They can actually affect product quality, people's experiences, their stress levels, and overall company morale.
- January 14, 2023 7:18 PM Almost no one knows how to conduct effective meetings. Being able to effectively prepare for and organize meetings, and ultimately produce meaningful outcomes, is invaluable. If you come across someone who can do this, whether you know them or not, make sure to connect with or recruit them. Don't let them slip away.
- January 20, 2023 1:16 PM Don't focus on being right, focus on being helpful - and then, don't focus on being correct, but focus on being successful. Many people, especially those seeking stability in large companies, strive to be correct and avoid making mistakes. However, if you want to succeed, the more you try to avoid mistakes, the less likely you are to succeed.