The Startup Operator

Something we should beware of as operators and entrepreneurs is being under-leveraged when this crisis passes over eventually. One of the things that happen during these times is an increased focus on conserving capital. You comb through every line item of expense. But if you don’t continue to invest in your growth now, will you be able to capture the opportunities that'll come tomorrow?

Most people become managers like most people become parents - incidentally.  Similarly, as soon as you have a few people reporting to you, you are now a newly minted manager whose responsibility it is to align them into valuable contributors to the enterprise. 

It may not be as complicated as parenting, but being a manager does involve well-thought-out, deliberate choices.

The greatest temptation as a leader is to just do it all yourself. And it's an alluring thought - because, you can hold yourself to the expected standards without any dependencies. But, if you have to do something meaningful over a period of time - you have to be the sort of person who can attract the right people and then enable them to do good. In this episode, we talk about how you shouldn’t have to do it all by yourself and you just have to focus on developing your team.

There are few things as exhilarating as an upward trending graph. Really, sometimes you could just sit back and watch those metrics soar. But, as much fun as that is, you will have to revisit your metrics ever so often. Especially, if you’re growing fast enough. In this episode, we'll be talking about metrics and why you should revise them as often as possible.

Vinod Khosla is quoted as saying who you seek advice from is perhaps the most important thing for an entrepreneur. It also applies to Operators, too. You’re out there executing - you could use some help. But, it’s important you ask the right person and apply it the right way for it to be really helpful. If you’re not careful, it might actually do you harm. Here are some principles in seeking sound advice.

Emails are important. Your inbox is a repository for recorded communication. But, it's also someone else's to-do list on your plate. How much time you spend in your inbox a day inversely translates to how much of your time you are spending on your own work. In today's episode, we share a few tips on when, and how to prioritize your emails, and more importantly, when not to. 

We worry too much - even for a lot of things that aren't in our direct control. And if you're a startup operator, it is very easy to get carried away from your goals and start obsessing over what your competitors are doing. But, you shouldn't completely ignore them either. In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about how much you should think about competition.

A founder’s time is limited. He or she has multiple things to think about. It’s incumbent on you to be as productive as possible and make the most of whatever little time you get. Here are four things you should stop doing right away.