What is the feeling of being a startup CEO?

Nick Cruz CEO at Nick Software Solutions

September 27th, 2016

What are the concerns? What headaches do you have when going to bed or waking up? How does it really feel to be leading a Potential disruptive business? Look forward to your thoughts.

Tom DiClemente Management Consulting | Interim CEO/COO | Coach

September 27th, 2016

Hi Nick,

As background, I've been a founder in nine startups, five of these as CEO, plus two other startups where I came in as Interim CEO when things got bad.

My experience - when you're running hard, working with Customers and your people, it is constantly exhilarating. Whether things are going great or things are going downhill, if you believe in what you’re doing and want to make it work, you are constantly stimulated. Whether good times or bad, you want to keep making things better, you want to keep making course corrections to improve growth, get to free cash flow, and grow free cash flow.

The doldrums normally came when slowing down to get some sleep or, heaven forbid, take a couple of days off. That’s when the negatives tended to dominate. Your mind is still going a mile a minute but you’re not acting to make things better, you don’t get that stimulation by doing and hence creating the little wins that bring so much fulfillment to you and the team.

The best things I found to minimize these down times were first of all to concentrate on building a great team of first rate individual contributors that also work together well. The second is to make sure that everyone is having fun, do some crazy things, have fun outside of work together. The third is to fight to retain balance in your life, including family and exercise. Finally, you need to come to the realization that it’s normal to feel down now and then when you’re not sure if you’re going to be able to pay everyone next week.

Hope you find that helpful!

Nofyah Shem Tov

September 27th, 2016

It's the most exhilarating roller coaster ride of your life. Sometimes you wanna quit, sometimes you want to turn everything off, sometimes you're feeling like you just won a billion dollars with only $10 in your pockets. Nofyah Shem Tov

Gulf Cloud First Cloud Service Provider Company in the Arabian Gulf

September 27th, 2016

Hi Nick,

It's 24/7 emotional rollercoaster.

yours

Abdullah

Valeriia Timokhina Eastern Peak Software: Custom software development

September 27th, 2016

You don't even expect how many things you should learn. Our company has been working with many startups. We regularly publish useful tips for entrepreneurs. I'd like to share some articles, it may be useful for someone:

Creating an MVP that can get your startup funded

5 Reasons to Outsource Only Top-Notch Startups Know About

Arthur Lipper Chairman of British Far East Holdings Ltd.

September 27th, 2016

Money - will we be able to reach cash flow breakeven with what we have currently in terms of financial resources? People - Do have enough of the right people? How can I best replace those disappointing me? Customers - Why are those who need what we will have so reluctant to believe that we can deliver? Dependence - Are those on whom our success is dependent themselves dependable? Marketing - Once our product is introduced will other having greater resources than ourselves be able to steal our market?

Craig Larson Comprehensive Business Development • Analytics

September 27th, 2016

Watch out being perceived as disruptive ...

you don't want more people helping you fail than succeed.

Phrase your incredible as "transformable"

and not threatening to competition that you are going to upset their apple cart. I've been put out of business by the influence of very large companies so keep your head down and only let the people who will buy your product or service know how awesome you are until you are established with significant revenue.

What is the feeling of being a startup CEO?

The 6-Month Lean Marketing Plan for Any Startup