TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

As a founder, solving your own problems is essential.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

A company is defined by the decisions it makes, and those decisions are made by people.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Money isn't what matters in a startup; it's the people and the decisions they make.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

If customers are asking to pay for your product before it's available, that's a strong sign of traction.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Bringing in diverse skills is crucial for a startup's success; for example, hiring a git expert helped GitHub grow.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Experiencing bad companies can provide valuable lessons on what not to do in your own startup.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Suffering through previous jobs can lead to better products, as it provides insights into customer needs.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Having shared ideas and good communication among co-founders is vital for pushing a startup forward.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Hiring the right people is incredibly challenging, and it's okay to make mistakes in the process. I had to let go of a salesperson early on because he wasn't a culture fit, which was a learning experience for us.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

As your company matures, your role will change significantly. In the beginning, I saw myself as the janitor, fixing things and cleaning up, which is essential when things are moving fast.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

In the early days of a startup, don't get caught up in titles. Focus on getting things done rather than worrying about who holds which title, as there's too much work to specialize too early.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

It's crucial to have a diverse mix of personality types in your team. For us, each co-founder brought a different strength: logical thinking, product vision, business operations, and culture maintenance.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

When hiring, always consider how each person will push the company forward. Remember, companies don't do things; people do.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

The product is the most important aspect of your company. Start with design, as it's how customers interact with your product and what they see and feel.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

What you exclude from your product is just as important as what you include. Adding too many features can dilute the overall quality and focus of your product.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Focus on quality over quantity in your product features. Users prefer great products rather than just a multitude of features.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Ensure one of your co-founders is design-minded. If you're a technical founder, find a designer who can make your product appealing and user-friendly.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Your company's mission should be clear and concise, ideally stated in one sentence with fewer than ten words. For GitHub, our mission was to make Git hosting easy.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

As we evolved, we expanded our mission to focus on making developers' lives better every day, emphasizing collaboration and effective software creation.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Our final vision is to make it easier to work together than to work alone, which reflects our broader goals beyond just software development. When solving a problem, start with something small that you can actually solve, and then look for opportunities to expand.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Don't squander opportunities; make decisions that align with your life goals and the impact you want to have.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

At GitHub, we chose to reinvest our profits back into the company to seize the opportunity we had, which is why we raised $100 million.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Most products in the market are subpar; focus on creating a good product that stands out, as Apple did with the iPad.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Product is all that matters, but it only comes into being when decisions are made based on a consistent philosophy.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

The culture at GitHub was shaped by the people we hired, and it's important to codify that culture for effective communication.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Optimizing for happiness means considering how your actions create more happiness for customers, team members, and shareholders.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

The best argument wins; it's crucial to focus on the argument itself rather than the individuals involved to avoid internal politics.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

At GitHub, we approach problems from first principles, ensuring that we create unique solutions tailored to our specific context.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

Creating super fans involves going above and beyond in customer interactions, such as hosting meetups and providing exceptional support.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

A strong company culture can be a powerful hiring tool, especially as competition for talent increases.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

The philosophy that guides decisions is what truly matters in creating successful products and a thriving company.

TP

Tom Preston-Werner

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

To succeed in raising significant funds, mastering the interplay of people, product, and philosophy is essential.

Tom Preston Werner at Startup School 2012

Takeaways