Both Sides of the Table

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Want to Know the Difference Between a CTO and a VP Engineering?

Both Sides of the Table

This time I thought I’d try and address engineering talent. Often I’m asked by startup CEO’s about how to best build an engineering team. I hope many will read this and have an answer for the question, “what’s the different between a CTO and a VP of Engineering?&#. What makes a great tech team?

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Startup Sales – Why Hiring Seasoned Reps May Not Work

Both Sides of the Table

Even if you don’t have “direct&# sales I would tell you that “everything is a sale&# including fund raising, hiring, getting press and doing business development. One of the biggest mistakes I see early-stage startups making is hiring “seasoned&# sales professionals or hiring people too senior, too early.

Hiring 346
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Why Entrepreneurs Should Be Respected More Than Loved

Both Sides of the Table

Eventually you need a VP of Product to handle your product roadmap, a CTO for engineering leadership and VPs of sales, marketing & biz dev. You hire great people. You motivate, cajole, reassign tasks, hire, fire and push the organization forward. Engineering? Do you hire more sales people? You set direction.

CTO Hire 385
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What Happens When Startups Turn from Their Innovation Stage to Operational Excellence?

Both Sides of the Table

As a startup in this phase you often raise capital, get press, hire staff and everything feels possible. what your product & engineering thought they cared about and you adapt your offering. As an early-stage VC I love this phase. MakeSpace (as he named it) would help you get your excess goods into low-cost warehouses.

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The Power of Getting the Band Back Together

Both Sides of the Table

You hire people who look good on paper. Which engineers dialed it in before a big release because it was during July 4th weekend? ” Who cut you in on their bonus because even though you’re “just an sales engineer” they know you really deserved more credit for this deal. After 6 months – you know.

CTO Hire 320
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How to Configure Your Startup Team

Both Sides of the Table

Engineering is critical but it is not everything. Early-stage companies shouldn’t: outsource core product development, have consulting firms build it for them to speed up time-to-market, shouldn’t hire too many business people until product is complete and early product/market fit tested. Don’t hire a homogenous team.

Cofounder 388
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When Should Technical Founders Become CEO?

Both Sides of the Table

Much has been written about when it is time to hire a “professional CEO” to run a startup company and of course that has long been a norm in Silicon Valley when founders find that their inexperience may be a limiting factor in company growth ( know as the Peter Principle ).

Founder 309