New Economy & Startups: 3 New Realities and 2 Key Insights

1. 3 New Realities +
2 Key Insights
htt p: / / b log .rom e nrg. es - @rom e nrg
Romén Rodríguez Gil
S o f t w a r e E n g i n e e r, U X R e s e a r c h e r & I n t e r n e t E n t r e p r e n e u r
2 0 1 6
LESSONS LEARNED

2. NEW REALITY #1:
“MOST 'IT STARTUPS' ARE NOT 'IT STARTUPS' ANYMORE”
A l m o s t e v e r y s t a r t u p i s n o w a d a y s a n I T s t a r t u p . I r e a l i ze d
t h a t V o c a b u l a r y N o t e b o o k w a s n o t a n I T s t a r t u p b u t a n d
e d u c a t i o n s t a r t u p ( E d - t e c h a t m o s t )

3. NEW REALITY #2:
“THERE ARE 3 KEY ROLES FOR STARTUPS: 1) CTO, 2) FIELD-EXPERT
& 3) SALESMAN (B2B) OR DIGITAL MARKETING LEAD (B2C)”
I f y o u c a n o n l y a f f o r d t o h a v e 3 p e o p l e , t r y w i t h t h o s e p r o f i l e s .
F o r V o c a b u l a r y N o t e b o o k t h e y w o u l d b e : “ A v e r y g o o d S o f t w a r e
E n g i n e e r, A g r e a t E n g l i s h Te a c h e r ( w i t h i n f l u e n c e i n t h e f i e l d )
a n d a G r e a t S a l e s m a n ( t o s e l l t o s c h o o l s ) ”

4. NEW REALITY #3:
“TREAT PEOPLE LIKE PEOPLE. NOT LIKE RESOURCES”
I n t h e I n d u s t r i a l P a r a d i g m , p e o p l e w e r e t r e a t e d a s f u n g i b l e ,
e a s i l y r e p l a c a b l e e l e m e n t s ( l i k e m a c h i n e s ) ; b u t i n t o d a y ' s
k n o w l e d g e - b a s e d c o m p a n i e s , p e o p l e a r e k e y e l e m e n t s , n o t
e a s i l y r e p l a c a b l e .
P e o p l e a r e n o t r e s o u r c e s . D o n ' t t r e a t t h e m l i k e t h a t . P e o p l e
t h r i v e w i t h m o t i v a t i o n , a r e i n t e l l i g e n t , c r e a t i v e a n d d e s e r v e
r e s p e c t .

5. … AND THERE IS MORE...

6. KEY INSIGHT #1:
“IF YOU ARE AN INTERNET-STARTUP WITH A B2C BUSINESS
MODEL, FOCUS ON GETTING TRAFFIC FROM DAY 1”

7. KEY INSIGHT #2:
“IF YOU ARE A STARTUP WITH A B2B BUSINESS MODEL, HIRE
A GREAT SALESMAN (OF SALESWOMAN) FROM DAY 1”

8. 3 New Realities +
2 Key Insights
htt p: / / b log .rom e nrg. es - @rom e nrg
Romén Rodríguez Gil
S o f t w a r e E n g i n e e r, U X R e s e a r c h e r & I n t e r n e t E n t r e p r e n e u r
2 0 1 6
LESSONS LEARNED