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- Feed Preview Comments for A Founder's Notebook
Comment on Reference checks: Is this the best question to ask? by Jason Van Driesche
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Comment on How to ask the right questions when checking ref...ecks: Is this the best question to ask? | A Founder's Notebook
approach, though with a different question.(3) The specific nature of the question contrasts with Jeff Markowitz’s advice to ask open ended questions. (4) More on reference
Comment on How do to reference checks: Scott Cook by Refere...ecks: Is this the best question to ask? | A Founder's Notebook
specific enough that it cannot be avoided or fudged. Scott Cook has a similar approach, though with a different question.(3) The specific nature of the question contrasts with Jeff Markowitz’s...
Comment on Tom Tunguz on reference checks: Questions to ask...ecks: Is this the best question to ask? | A Founder's Notebook
that this person will be successful?” In this respect, this question it’s similar to Tom Tunguz’ question. (2) This question is also specific enough that it cannot be avoided or fudged. Sc...
Comment on Selling to enterprises via selling to individual...el by B2B and social media: six success factors for businesses
are useful from a strategic point of view. They help businesses express their complex statements in a language that the end client can understand in a process known as
Comment on Should websites shut down comments? by Anonymous
In reply to uncommentable. Yes. Good point. Another disadvantage of shutt...
Comment on Why you should not call your employees “missio...” or “mercenaries”, or your company “a family” by DJ
In reply to Umang
Comment on How to talk so people can listen by DJ
In reply to Cliff Wachtel. Hi Cliff, that's a very kind comment. Thank you...
Comment on Why you should not call your employees “missio... or “mercenaries”, or your company “a family” by Umang
This is spot on. I wish more people understood that missionary or mercenary are two sides of the same coin. The Crusades are a totally wrong analogy to apply to what startups are trying to do in ...
Comment on How to talk so people can listen by Cliff Wachtel
Dave, regarding your Note 1, don't see you have a problem from our past conversations. 1. You tend to get to the point efficiently, and the point was always worth the wait. 2. Sometimes more comp...
Comment on Surprisingly, good listeners interrupt by How to talk so people can listen | A Founder's Notebook
← Surprisingly, good listeners interrupt
Comment on The best advice for how to be a better listener by Surprisingly, good listeners interrupt | A Founder's Notebook
Notes:(1) While Susan’s advice is for couples, it is equally applicable to all conversations, including work conversations.(2) A risk with “reiterate what the other person is saying”: it�...
Comment on 5 testable qualities that determine a candidate�...tential by How smart is this candidate? | A Founder's Notebook
Notes:(1) I’ve found that a good way to assess “how precise” and “how engaging” is to send the candidate a follow up question by email after the interview. You can learn a lot from the...
Comment on The 3 things Google looks for when hiring by How smart is this candidate? | A Founder's Notebook
we look for is general cognitive ability, and it’s not I.Q. It’s learning ability.” in The 3 things Google looks for when hiring.(3) See also 5 testable qualities that determine a candidat...
Comment on What to look for when hiring someone to work remotely by How smart is this candidate? | A Founder's Notebook
the interview. You can learn a lot from their replies as the conversation continues in writing. Cf. What to look for when hiring someone to work remotely.(2) Cf. “For every job the No. 1 thing...
Comment on The 3 conditions of a great freemium business by Getting the free right in freemium | A Founder's Notebook
Notes:(1) This is exactly our experience with Seeking Alpha. When we A/B test restricting free usage more, it almost always wins. Yet we know that doesn’t maximize long-term subscriber growth....
Comment on Freemium works if 4 conditions are met by Getting the free right in freemium | A Founder's Notebook
it almost always wins. Yet we know that doesn’t maximize long-term subscriber growth. (2) Cf. Freemium works if 4 conditions are met.(3) Cf. The 3 conditions of a great freemium
Comment on Lifetime value can mislead you into excessive sp...od customer acquisition payback period? | A Founder's Notebook
Notes:(1) Startups should focus on payback periods over LTV/CAC ratios, Lenny argues, because accurately calculating LTV for an early-stage company is highly suspect.(2) Longer payback periods a...
Comment on Private companies are the biggest driver of prog...ries”, or your company “a family” | A Founder's Notebook
It’s the CEO’s responsibility to ensure that the company has an inspiring mission, and to convey this mission to your team. You also want to build a team of smart people who are
Comment on The best advice for how to be a better listener by Rachael
I love this, and have been working to cultivate good listening as one of my strengths. That said, I believe #2 is completely dependent on the type of meeting. If I'm in a 1-1 with a direct report...
Comment on How to listen without judging — a guide for ma... advice for how to be a better listener | A Founder's Notebook
Notes:(1) Cf. Farnham Street’s listen with intent to agree. This is better, because who says you should agree? The essence of listening is to take yourself out of the picture and focus on the ...
Comment on How to listen when you disagree by The best advice for how to be a better listener | A Founder's Notebook
are saying”. Listening to understand is the antidote to that.(3) Note the similarity with How to listen when you disagree. (4) Compare also to How to listen without judging — a guide for
Comment on To make meetings more effective, learn to listen... advice for how to be a better listener | A Founder's Notebook
essence of listening is to take yourself out of the picture and focus on the other person. (2) In To make meetings more effective, learn to listen, Emma Chilvers notes that “rather than listen...
Comment on How to be a better listener by The best advice for how to be a better listener | A Founder's Notebook
Cf. Farnham Street’s listen with intent to agree. This is better, because who says you should agree? The essence of listening is to take yourself
Comment on You can train yourself to think positively by How to be a great team member (and person) | A Founder's Notebook
Why you have to actively fight cynicism, How to avoid being influenced by others’ negativity, and You can train yourself to think positively.(3) Re. “Have the world in mind”, see Private c...
Comment on How to avoid being influenced by others’ negat... to be a great team member (and person) | A Founder's Notebook
to that. (2) Re. “Be optimistic”, see Why you have to actively fight cynicism, How to avoid being influenced by others’ negativity, and You can train yourself to think positively.(3) Re. �...
Comment on Private companies are the biggest driver of prog... to be a great team member (and person) | A Founder's Notebook
Notes:(1) What are the equivalent values for being a great employee? Perhaps: Be optimistic about your company. Be loyal to your co-workers. Know the people you work with. Make sure your company...
Comment on Why you have to actively fight cynicism by How to be a great team member (and person) | A Founder's Notebook
company has the world in mind, and contribute to that. (2) Re. “Be optimistic”, see Why you have to actively fight cynicism.(3) Re. “Have the world in mind”, see Private companies are th...
Comment on Best practices for startups — a list by topic by Three tips for managing people | A Founder's Notebook
Best practices for startups — a list by topic
https://davidjaxon.wordpress.com/quick-list-of-posts-by-topic/comment-page-1/#comment-10422
Comment on Why you should push your team to write (and hire...rite) by Three tips for managing people | A Founder's Notebook
people to move faster with fewer misunderstandings.(4) On “Demand preciseness”, see Why you should push your team to write (and hire people who can write). See also the other items in the Ma...
Comment on The importance of product positioning, and how t...language/market fit, and why it matters | A Founder's Notebook
Notes:(1) Cf. Does your company description resonate with potential customers?(2) Cf. How to name your product and create its tag line(3) Cf. The importance of product positioning, and how to ge...
Comment on How to name your product and create its tag line...language/market fit, and why it matters | A Founder's Notebook
Cf. Does your company description resonate with potential customers?(2) Cf. How to name your product and create its tag line(3) Cf. The importance of product positioning, and how to get it
Comment on Does your company description resonate with pote...language/market fit, and why it matters | A Founder's Notebook
Cf. Does your company description resonate with potential customers?(2) Cf. How to name your product and create its tag line(3) Cf. The importance of product
Comment on Benchmarks for churn / retention rates by aarontearsheet
Very interesting! Aaron from Tearsheet sent from my mobile
Comment on To reduce churn by more than 2 percentage points... Benchmarks for churn / retention rates | A Founder's Notebook
Notes:(i) An important ingredient for benchmarking your company might be frequency of habit. See: The relationship between frequency of habit and customer retention.(ii) For practical advice to ...
Comment on How to reduce churn by identifying your “red f... Benchmarks for churn / retention rates | A Founder's Notebook
between frequency of habit and customer retention.(ii) For practical advice to raise retention, see How to reduce churn by identifying your “red flag metrics”.(iii) See also: To reduce churn...
Comment on The relationship between frequency of habit and ... Benchmarks for churn / retention rates | A Founder's Notebook
An important ingredient for benchmarking your company might be frequency of habit. See: The relationship between frequency of habit and customer retention.(ii) For practical advice to raise rete...
Comment on Private companies are the biggest driver of progress, so what’s your vision? by DJ
In reply to Justin C. Justin, I've...
Comment on Private companies are the biggest driver of progress, so what’s your vision? by Michael Jackson
Thank you both: this is a very interesting conversation. It’s worth adding that practical considerations of speed and coverage of the potential benefits of private invention and development are...
Comment on Private companies are the biggest driver of progress, so what’s your vision? by DJ
In reply to Justin C. Excellent co...
Comment on Private companies are the biggest driver of progress, so what’s your vision? by Justin C
What an oddly political post with an almost complete logical disconnect in its conclusion. I'm an entrepreneur and believe strongly in private enterprise, but nearly all the examples used are one...
Comment on How to articulate your vision in a compelling wa...r of progress, so what’s your vision? | A Founder's Notebook
Notes:(i) Mark Perry, who quoted Thomas Sowell’s article in his outstanding blog, adds: “I nominate Walmart for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for its extraordinary public service. It has done m...
Comment on The two factors which determine how successful a...r of progress, so what’s your vision? | A Founder's Notebook
People need three things in a job: (1) I get to do the types of tasks I love doing every day, (2) I get to do them in a company which is succeeding, and (3) My work makes the world a better plac...
Comment on The best career advice you can give in two minut...r of progress, so what’s your vision? | A Founder's Notebook
Nations, and the World Food Program combined.”(ii) People need three things in a job: (1) I get to do the types of tasks I love doing every day, (2) I get to do them in a company which is succ...
Comment on Dick Costolo on company culture by Why you have to actively fight cynicism | A Founder's Notebook
Notes: (i) This is particularly relevant to startups and growth companies, because they are built on a foundation of optimism — optimism that the future will offer opportunities, optimism that...
Comment on To build a great culture for your startup, be ex...Why you have to actively fight cynicism | A Founder's Notebook
away the foundation of a startup or growth company. (ii) For more on building company culture, see To build a great culture for your startup, be explicit, and Dick Costolo on company
Comment on The three phases of the life of a startup and th...nage successfully, use this simple rule | A Founder's Notebook
Notes: (i) Ali Rowghani divided every startup into one of three phases: Phase 1: Find product-market fit by doing things that don’t scale, Phase 2: Scale by hiring, creating purpose and alignm...
Comment on How to hire the right people for your leadership team by DJ
In reply to Homer Bartlett. Good question. I'm not sur...
Comment on The right question to ask to motivate people by ...f before getting on a call with someone | A Founder's Notebook
Notes:(i) I love the idea of checking your own emotional state before each call with these questions. Perhaps you’ll decide to postpone a call because of your answers, avoiding damaging a rela...
Comment on Ask positive questions by Three questions to ask...f before getting on a call with someone | A Founder's Notebook
how will that impact our behavior on the call? Perhaps we’ll remind ourselves to ask positive questions, or to ask the right question to motivate
https://davidjaxon.wordpress.com/2016/07/14/ask-positive-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-9566