I hate this week in the life of the start-up company. Moving week. The new space is great and it will help us attract talented people, establish our new company culture, accommodate growth, etc.
But I really hate all the empty desks.
In each of the companies I’ve helped start, I’ve stared down a row of desks like this and worried about filling them up. It is that sense of urgency, of being close to the edge, that makes a start-up so energizing and makes you bond so much with that first group of employees that helps start the flywheel spinning.
It sometimes feels overwhelming how many pieces of the puzzle have to fit together to get a company off the ground and ready to capitalize on a market opportunity: office space, banking relationships, furniture, technology, leadership team, fundraising, hiring plans. All of the pieces require proper timing, thoughtful decisions and an element of risk. You need to get them all moving forward, believe in your business idea, and remind yourself that all of it is necessary to get you to the finish line.
Next up on the list: closing our first major round of fundraising. We hope to finish up our investor meetings next week. Things are always much easier with money in the bank!
September 8th, 2008 at 4:50 am
Fascinating read – been following since I heard what you’re up to – thanks for sharing.
Now my curiosity circuits are really smoking with the introduction of the new domain name. All the creative possibilities!… Exciting stuff!
September 8th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Wow, I’m out of the loop. Just found your blog! Look forward to seeing what you guys have in store. Best of luck!
September 15th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
I can see our building from the pic…sweet. I will start throwing rocks at your windows. Oh Romeo… Very excited what y’all have in store!