Comments for AndyGCook http://andygcook.com Thoughts and musings from a startup founder Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:11:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on Beware of Startup Vampires by Conor Myhrvold http://andygcook.com/2011/10/beware-of-startup-vampires/#comment-43 Conor Myhrvold Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:11:18 +0000 http://andygcook.com/?p=143#comment-43 An informative and entertaining post! The link about inviting vampires in, says to wait 2-3 times before answering an unknown call at your door...so does this mean someone needs to apply several times as a prospective employee or investor before a wise startup responds? :-p An informative and entertaining post! The link about inviting vampires in, says to wait 2-3 times before answering an unknown call at your door…so does this mean someone needs to apply several times as a prospective employee or investor before a wise startup responds? :-p

]]> Comment on Beware of Startup Vampires by Ryan Durkin http://andygcook.com/2011/10/beware-of-startup-vampires/#comment-42 Ryan Durkin Mon, 31 Oct 2011 23:36:03 +0000 http://andygcook.com/?p=143#comment-42 Love it. The most important point: vampires cannot enter unless first invited in. It's the biggest sin in the book to allow vampires to suck the blood out of your company, but an even greater sin to allow them in in the first place. Luckily, choice allows you to move them the heck out when you'd like as well. What about Vampire consultants / people in the world offering advice? Choosing the right Accountant / Legal team / CFO / insurance provider / payroll system is vital. Choosing without asking people what they think about them before choosing can create vampires as well. Nothing says "ouch" more than a bit from a legal team with a $10,000 bill, or a call from a payroll company about #x things that went wrong when processing payroll. It's important to ask entrepreneurs what they think of these peeps early and often. Things change. Vampires were once human too. Right? Love it. The most important point: vampires cannot enter unless first invited in. It’s the biggest sin in the book to allow vampires to suck the blood out of your company, but an even greater sin to allow them in in the first place. Luckily, choice allows you to move them the heck out when you’d like as well.

What about Vampire consultants / people in the world offering advice? Choosing the right Accountant / Legal team / CFO / insurance provider / payroll system is vital. Choosing without asking people what they think about them before choosing can create vampires as well. Nothing says “ouch” more than a bit from a legal team with a $10,000 bill, or a call from a payroll company about #x things that went wrong when processing payroll. It’s important to ask entrepreneurs what they think of these peeps early and often. Things change. Vampires were once human too. Right?

]]> Comment on How to Make Smarter Start-up Decisions by Siva http://andygcook.com/2011/10/how-to-make-smarter-start-up-decisions/#comment-33 Siva Tue, 11 Oct 2011 05:24:49 +0000 http://andygcook.com/?p=125#comment-33 Wonderful insights Andy... I think the best method as you said is always to take a step back and see what went wrong. That worked for me and also the Blink method provides good fruits Wonderful insights Andy… I think the best method as you said is always to take a step back and see what went wrong. That worked for me and also the Blink method provides good fruits

]]> Comment on How to Kill Start-up Distractions by Berislav Lopac http://andygcook.com/2011/10/how-to-kill-start-up-distractions/#comment-23 Berislav Lopac Mon, 03 Oct 2011 21:00:32 +0000 http://andygcook.com/?p=98#comment-23 Yeah -- it's easy to recognize the winner: the one with the best team. If you are the team, then the answer is obvious again: the winner will be the one you focus on. Yeah — it’s easy to recognize the winner: the one with the best team. If you are the team, then the answer is obvious again: the winner will be the one you focus on.

]]> Comment on How to Kill Start-up Distractions by Andy http://andygcook.com/2011/10/how-to-kill-start-up-distractions/#comment-22 Andy Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:28:42 +0000 http://andygcook.com/?p=98#comment-22 Scott - I really like your enthusiasm about not being interrupted, and I admit my example was a bit over simplified. I would be pretty annoyed too if someone interrupted me with an answer that could easily be found online. My point was to think about how long unnecessary interruptions from coworkers can really take when you factor in lost productivity from the loss of concentration. I agree with you that interruptions should be avoided at all costs. On the other hand, I would make a case for collaborative group think during allotted times, and then having dedicated hack time that is free of interruptions. That way you get flow of ideas and shared creativity along with productivity. Most questions do not need an immediate answer and can wait to the appropriate times you've mentioned. Scott – I really like your enthusiasm about not being interrupted, and I admit my example was a bit over simplified. I would be pretty annoyed too if someone interrupted me with an answer that could easily be found online. My point was to think about how long unnecessary interruptions from coworkers can really take when you factor in lost productivity from the loss of concentration. I agree with you that interruptions should be avoided at all costs.

On the other hand, I would make a case for collaborative group think during allotted times, and then having dedicated hack time that is free of interruptions. That way you get flow of ideas and shared creativity along with productivity. Most questions do not need an immediate answer and can wait to the appropriate times you’ve mentioned.

]]> Comment on How to Kill Start-up Distractions by Scott http://andygcook.com/2011/10/how-to-kill-start-up-distractions/#comment-21 Scott Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:21:12 +0000 http://andygcook.com/?p=98#comment-21 Interruptions are interruptions whether phone, chat or in person. The most disruptive one is whichever one you are not allowed to turn off. I can silence the phone ringer and lock the door. (There is a locking door on each office right, if not you don't take developer productivity seriously.) Hopefully I can also disable the chat as well. Whatever the interruption is, thinking about the buy flow and what color the button will be will 100% definitely break my flow and take 30 minutes to regain. It doesn't matter that it is a quick insignificant question. Wait it does matter, because breaking flow and blowing the $100 labor cost of a 30 minute interruption to have an answer on button color that will be ignored after all 15 people in the department are interrupted to take an impromptu survey is insane. Fire the guy who is interrupting people to ask about button color. If he needs other people's feedback, bring it up during a break, during lunch, during a meeting, on a survey on the company's development wiki, or send an email that can be answered at leisure. But do not interrupt my work. Interruptions are interruptions whether phone, chat or in person. The most disruptive one is whichever one you are not allowed to turn off. I can silence the phone ringer and lock the door. (There is a locking door on each office right, if not you don’t take developer productivity seriously.) Hopefully I can also disable the chat as well.

Whatever the interruption is, thinking about the buy flow and what color the button will be will 100% definitely break my flow and take 30 minutes to regain. It doesn’t matter that it is a quick insignificant question. Wait it does matter, because breaking flow and blowing the $100 labor cost of a 30 minute interruption to have an answer on button color that will be ignored after all 15 people in the department are interrupted to take an impromptu survey is insane. Fire the guy who is interrupting people to ask about button color. If he needs other people’s feedback, bring it up during a break, during lunch, during a meeting, on a survey on the company’s development wiki, or send an email that can be answered at leisure. But do not interrupt my work.

]]> Comment on How to Kill Start-up Distractions by Andy http://andygcook.com/2011/10/how-to-kill-start-up-distractions/#comment-20 Andy Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:09:38 +0000 http://andygcook.com/?p=98#comment-20 I use Hell Yeah or No more as a guideline in life and I do make exceptions. It's basically just a way for me to think quickly to myself if I want to actually take a meeting or not, and give myself an excuse to say No if I think I shouldn't. I use Hell Yeah or No more as a guideline in life and I do make exceptions. It’s basically just a way for me to think quickly to myself if I want to actually take a meeting or not, and give myself an excuse to say No if I think I shouldn’t.

]]> Comment on How to Kill Start-up Distractions by Derek http://andygcook.com/2011/10/how-to-kill-start-up-distractions/#comment-19 Derek Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:01:26 +0000 http://andygcook.com/?p=98#comment-19 Great post... my one exception to the "hell yeah or no" - I wouldn't cut off all access to the serendipitous meeting/conversation. There are people out there that will be able to help in ways that are not apparent. Some have been a HUGE help to me that I met without an agenda or purpose in mind. They are now friends, and they have connected me to some very valuable resources. If I had thought too much about whether to take the meeting originally, I might not have. I agree that "No" should be a well-used vocab word, but don't be absolute. Great post… my one exception to the “hell yeah or no” – I wouldn’t cut off all access to the serendipitous meeting/conversation. There are people out there that will be able to help in ways that are not apparent. Some have been a HUGE help to me that I met without an agenda or purpose in mind. They are now friends, and they have connected me to some very valuable resources. If I had thought too much about whether to take the meeting originally, I might not have. I agree that “No” should be a well-used vocab word, but don’t be absolute.

]]> Comment on How to Kill Start-up Distractions by Andy http://andygcook.com/2011/10/how-to-kill-start-up-distractions/#comment-18 Andy Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:32:58 +0000 http://andygcook.com/?p=98#comment-18 Thanks for the comment, Joshua. We had to make some tough decisions on our start-up as well. We ended up pivoting away from the model we spent years on a simpler and more scalable version. Things have been much better since. For a good read on the subject - Read Ev Williams interview from Founders at Work. Blogger was initially just a feature of their whole system. Thanks for the comment, Joshua. We had to make some tough decisions on our start-up as well. We ended up pivoting away from the model we spent years on a simpler and more scalable version. Things have been much better since.

For a good read on the subject – Read Ev Williams interview from Founders at Work. Blogger was initially just a feature of their whole system.

]]> Comment on How to Kill Start-up Distractions by Joshua http://andygcook.com/2011/10/how-to-kill-start-up-distractions/#comment-17 Joshua Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:59:15 +0000 http://andygcook.com/?p=98#comment-17 This really was inspiring, I appreciate it and it was very timely. We were starting to consider other project opportunities on the side while we wrapped up our initial startup. This will put a stop to that for sure. Thanks! This really was inspiring, I appreciate it and it was very timely. We were starting to consider other project opportunities on the side while we wrapped up our initial startup. This will put a stop to that for sure. Thanks!

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