What I Learned as a Startup Cofounder

As someone who had spent 20+ years in the corporate world, the startup scene seemed really sexy to me. Being a cofounder of a startup with a focus on women's empowerment was even sexier. At a time and after having spent so many years working in $1B+ companies, I *really* wanted to build something grand, something that would change the world and especially for women, something that would become a WSJ article or a Fast Company cover story. 

So, I did it! I joined an early stage startup as a cofounder and CMO and it was a lot of fun. Much of it, I had not anticipated but I still enjoyed. Some of it, I must admit, I didn't care for all that much. All in all, the lessons I learned from this experience were invaluable and added so many tools to my toolbox. If you are considering starting your own company or joining a startup, I hope you find this useful.

So what did I learn?

• Move, move move! The fast-paced environment of a startup was pure joy. In a startup, a week is equivalent to a month or maybe even two months of life in corporate. Things move fast and you need to move fast or you die! Plain and simple!
• Experiment and adjust - There is no "we have always done it this way" going on. Pretty much, everything is being done for the first time. If it works, you have created something amazing. If it doesn't work, you get to iterate until it does. 
• Learn, learn and then learn some more! You learn about everything and anything company related. 
• Realtime results -  You see the results of your labor realtime and I mean realtime! And the results can be good or they can be bad so be ready for hourly fluctuations in your mood! Also, results are what truly matter, not activities. Enough said!
• Data is your best friend! Try to quantify as much of the business as you possibly can and run the business by the numbers.
• Find that 25th hour! If you work for a startup, don't expect to have 8 or 10-hour days. Rather, plan on working 24x7 and then some! Yes, it is that consuming.
• You are the CxO and the janitor! In the startup world and especially early-stage startup, don't take your title too seriously. On any given day, you have to play your role, the janitor's, the admin, the accountant and a bunch more so be flexible and be willing to learn what you don't know.
• You are also the CHO (Chief Hustling Officer) - Yes, you gotta hustle! Hustle to save money, hustle to make money, hustle to keep your clients and find new ones. Hustle to do what is right and hustle to stop doing what doesn't work. Hustler will become your middle name whether you like it or not!
• Office politics do exist! We all complain about politics in the corporate world. To my surprise, office politics didn't vanish in my startup experience. Perhaps, they were even amplified since the company was so small. Expect some level of politics to follow you in your startup journey!
• Startup life is NOT sexy! What I had envisioned about life as a startup founder was just an illusion. Maybe if I were 25, I would have found the lifestyle sexy but at 44 with a mortgage and a young family, um, not so much!
• Focus, focus, focus - This one is a tough one since in the startup world, it is hard to decipher what "moves the needle" and what is pure noise. Do your best and stay as focused as you can. Stay committed to the plan and when you adjust (notice I didn't say if), be deliberate and thoughtful. As much as you can, filter out the noise and stay focused on the signal.
• Have chemistry but not too much of it -I found it important to have chemistry with my other cofounders but when our relationship evolved and turned into a pseudo friendship, it got messy. Lesson learned!
• Paranoia will KILL the company -  If you are worried about failure, don't even think about joining a startup or starting your own. I heard the phrase "Failure is Not an Option" a few too many times. Bad, bad, bad practice! Fail, fail fast and fail forward. But fail because you aren't going to learn how to succeed if you don't fail.
• Employee morale is more important than you can ever imagine - Yes, more important than investors, more important than customers, more important than anything! Without employees who willingly commit to all the above, the business goes nowhere. Remember, your employees have a choice, they can work with/for you or go somewhere else! They come to work every day wanting to make a positive difference. Employees want to feel that they are valued and that they matter. Treat them right and remind yourself and them that you are lucky to have them onboard. Even if or when you have a non-performer, address it with authenticity and kindness. You can be sure that they will thank you for it even after a very difficult conversation. 

Joining a startup, especially an early-stage startup is an all-consuming commitment not just for you but your entire family. It goes beyond time, it consumes your AND your family's existence entirely. Be sure you know that before you sign the dotted line.

What lessons have you learned in a startup?