3 Rules for Startup Survival

I agree with #1. Prioritizing is key if you want to get anything done in a timely manner.

Ryan,

RE: the to do list… One way to feel better about it is to have two of them. One to do list that has every thing you need to do over time (really broad in scope) and one to do list that has 3 or 4 things you want to get done each day from that really big list.

Its always uplifting to finish your to do list so having the shorter one gives you a jolt each day and the fact that you will be able to finish it each day makes it easier to focus. Meanwhile you're still not losing track of things that need to be done because you still have the larger one you're just using the smaller list to segment and chip away at the big one each day.

Ditto what everyone else has said on the to-do list. I had to give up my perfectionist love of a fully-crossed out list. Now, I keep a list of stuff I need to do for the week. I highlight or circle in red the really important, must-get-done stuff. As things come up throughout the week (because they do… oh, how they do), I add them on and circle or highlight if they're high priority. The next week, on Monday morning, I sit down and review what I didn't get done last week, determine if it really needs to be on the list, add the new stuff that accumulated over the weekend, shuffle, circle/highlight, and begin again. Progress, not perfection. As long as I keep crossing out, things are good.

I totally hear you on "Don't think, just do." When I start to get overwhelmed and thinking about all the stuff I need to do and how it will never get done, or go into my time-wasting "planning" mode, I refocus and think "What is the next step?" Period. One foot in front of the other. I have entire days that run on this principle, and they are the most productive, hands down.

Finally, every day is a fresh start. As long as I leave yesterday's crappy mood in yesterday, I've got a chance to make today more productive. I call this living life on life's terms. I manage the things I can (my job) and when other people's jobs infringe on mine, I try to just wait the storm out, and realize when it's best to just let it ride.

As product lifecycles decrease (and new startups accelerate launches) we continue to communicate status and ideas through emails and batch processes. Why not use a constant status/ communication tool like Twitter? I think Twitter is seriously overlooked in this arena and it might even help with some of the hiccups your team experienced. Here is my Twitter project team proposal:
http://newlycorporate.com/2007/11/05/twitter-in-the-office-fast-aware-open-teams/

Thanks for the tips on the to-do list, I think they will be helpful.

Holly – I like your theory of every day being a fresh start. That's how I always try to look at things as well.

Brandon – Interesting post about twitter. I don't use it and actually have never even tried twitter, but I keep hearing great things. Maybe I will give it a shot.

-Ryan

Indeed. Thinking often gets in the way of action! But there's a reason there are both kinds of people in the world, so don't discount your thoughtfulness completely. Sucess is a product of both planning and executing. So it's a good thing there are both strengths going on.

[...] 3 rules for startup survival Yup, I know how this feels… (tags: business) [...]

Ryan, looks like the immediate winner of your startup is the readers! We get to hear the gossip from both you and Penelope…

Just kidding. Thanks for sharing your experience and keep up the good work.

This is fun! Reading about how you guys are starting out is a real learning experience. I love the fact that you pull no punches when you blog about the new company. Very fresh, very cool, so to speak. Good luck on the new venture!

As someone a little further on their career – having started 4 companies now I can tell you that you could have 100 to-do lists and none of them will ever get fully "done". The nature of a start up company is that you don't really know what comes next all the time (only sometimes). Ryan said it very well "Be prepared for Peaks and Valleys". Not just in the long run but every day. You will constantly be challenged with new issues that you could not have planned for. Yes you will work a lot harder than if you had a typical 9-5 (does that exist?) job, but its all for nothing if you don't work smarter.

The real key to success at a startup is to stay focused on:

1. Things that can actually get done NOW (don't spend all day working on a proposal that is due in 60 days if there are more pressing things)
2. Things that are essential to the growth/success of the company (don't spend time working on the minute details of your company's website before soliciting new clients)
3. Things that MAKE MONEY (isn't that why we're here?)

As the owner of any business you will be assaulted by opportunity: New biz dev ideas, improvements to your core offering etc. Key is to be judicious in choosing what to work on. CEO's at fortune 500 companies face this same challenge – only difference is the support they have to execute.

Penny Penny (my 2 cents)

Ryan — You need either a colon or a dash not a semicolon in this sentence.

"Here are a few lessons I've learned during my first month at a startup. Take them for what they are; initial observations from a novice entrepreneur."

- Your favorite grammar police officer