1. Hey

2. 1.Run a tech startup http://dex.io
2.Talk about startups http://foundercentric.com
Went through YC07, raised $ in US & UK,
built a bunch of products, did lots of custdev
@robfitz

3. ❝ You need 3 things... to start with
good people, to make something
customers actually want, and to
spend as little money as possible.
❞
Paul Graham
paulgraham.com
Text

4. ❝
You keep working and you get
another brick. And then you’re
like “Ah! Now I have enough
bricks - I can do something with
these bricks!” And you have a wall.
❞
Amy Hoy
@amyhoy
Text

5. ❝
Smurf it up!
❞
Gary Vaynerchuk
@garyvee
Text

6. ❝You have customers, they pay
you money for your product
or service and you get profit,
and it’s such a weird notion.
❞
David Hansson
@dhh
Text

7. ❝Building an empire,
lighting a powder keg,
or starting a movement?
❞
Gabriel Weinberg
@yegg
Text

8. ❝Hello everybody...hobby,
a (free) OS (just a
I’m doing
won’t be big and professional
like gnu)... I’d like any
feedback.
❞
Linus Torvalds on Linux
via @daveduarte
Text

9. ❝No, this is not an
indecent proposal. It's
an idea to add a little
feature to Nupedia.
Larry Sanger on Wikipedia
❞
via @daveduarte
Text

10. You
can’t
predict
the winners

11. Even the best
can’t! http://venturebeat.com/2011/01/29/yuri-milner-
and-ron-conway-aim-to-disrupt-angel-investing-
with-latest-proposal/

13. Image by sleepyneko

15. 1. 2.
Discovery Validation

16. “Learn” “Confirm”

17. “Ask” “Sell”

18. Do we
understand this
industry?

19. Do we
understand this
industry?
Does anybody
care at all?

20. Do we
Are we building
understand this
industry?
the right product?
Does anybody
care at all?

21. Do we
Are we building
understand this
industry?
the right product?
Does anybody Will they
care at all? pay for it?

22. What’s
the cost
of trying?

24. Don’t
start
from
scratch

28. Make
it your
own

31. Thanks!

32. Rob Fitzpatrick
October 16, 2012
How can I help?
rob@dex.io
Slides: dex.io/robfitz