The Three People You Need In A Start-Up
My friend and client, Bruce Fryer, presented yesterday at UNM – in the second of an ongoing series about how to build a successful start-up on the cheap. His topic was “How To Find The Cute Baby.” (The good, commercially viable idea)
Of course, finding the baby is only the first step. Then, you need to raise the baby. And, to do that requires three types of people.
The Mad Scientist: The wild-eyed genius who came up with the idea in the first place, and is able to take it many different directions. Of course, these folks often have difficulty with the rest of us, since they’re about twice as smart as we are, and it frustrates the heck out of ‘em to translate the idea into plain English. General rule is you don’t want the scientists in front of people (including investors and customers.) Leave ‘em in the lab where they’re happy and most beneficial.
The Evangelist: This is the fella who can get out and beat the drum. Fearless presenter. Passionate about the possibilities. Able to translate mad science speak into plain (and sellable) English.
The Executioner: I think B. meant “executor” but this is actually more appropriate, since you need someone who can Just. Get. It. Done…and also shoot a bad idea or project in the head if need be. Tell an executioner “make it so” and get out of the way.
One reason Bruce and I work so well together, in his words, (we’re on our second start-up) is that we’re both a combination of evangelist and executioner…and he has a dash of mad scientist to keep it interesting for this executioner. (Yes, it can be fun to disagree and debate. Keeps the company healthy, but the critical component is mutual respect.)
Related Posts:
Start-Up Success: People Before Plan
What Kind of Business Do You Want To Build?
Three Things You DON’T Need In A Start-Up
Getting Funding Is the Easy Part
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