Takeaways from the Startup Grind Global Conference 2018
February 19, 2018
With the @startupgrindDYT team in Redwood City for the #startupgrind 2018 Global Conference over the next two days. Will come back with new ideas for #Dayton! pic.twitter.com/IHX6qSAp2J
— Launch Dayton (@LaunchDayton) February 13, 2018
I traveled to Redwood City, California last week with the Startup Grind Dayton team to take in the two-day conference that featured the founders from names like Tesla, Reddit, Pocket, and Booking.com, plus investors from names like Andreesen Horowitz and Sequoia. So what did I learn? Here’s a recap, using our twitter feed:
Inspiration
The conference offered lots in the way of nuggets of inspiration on what it takes to be an entrepreneur. The most inspirational was a 13-year-old entrepreneur from Chicago whose cookie business Beyond the Cookie was founded in 2014 to fund summer coding camps for economically challenged and under-represented communities throughout Chicago.
Irrational persistence is the number one trait of an entrepreneur.
-Joe Kraus #StartupGrind— Raj Patel (@rajmahal15) February 13, 2018
"Why would you want to start a company? Because there are things worth changing." Marc Tarpenning with Shernaz Daver at #StartupGrind. https://t.co/JcLVcDh7JQ pic.twitter.com/oIpqGJDUBl
— Google for Startups (@GoogleStartups) February 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/JRSims1/status/963826157639446528
“There are so many times when you want to give up. But you can’t give up. So much of this industry is rejection.” – advice on breaking into acting that also applies to entrepreneurship @ashleytisdale #StartupGrind #startupgrind2018 pic.twitter.com/sSxjGVoiSE
— Tiffany Yu (she/her) (@ImTiffanyYu) February 14, 2018
Inspiring to hear from @beyondthecookie, a 13-year old entrepreneur that wants to bring 100 under represented and under resourced Chicago students to Silicon Valley. pic.twitter.com/j5nCS6OR8A
— Launch Dayton (@LaunchDayton) February 15, 2018
Building Your Business
"The more we understood our customers, the more we could understand our product. Engaging with our customers led us to building a stronger business." @mikkelsvane @Zendesk #StartupGrind #designthinking #entrepreneur pic.twitter.com/B9tFhplTuq
— Startup Grind (@StartupGrind) February 14, 2018
“Find the best boardmembers- if you are giving them the power to fire the CEO, be selective” also “position your business in the best light but be able to demonstrate it all the way” @jeff_jordan @a16z @anuhariharan @ycombinator #StartupGrind #StartupGrind2018 pic.twitter.com/n56oM39RsF
— Oakland Startup Network (@OaklandStartup) February 15, 2018
"When you think about your business, think about this: What powers you to achieve the things you want to achieve? Focus on THIS." @wadefoster #StartupGrind
— Startup Grind (@StartupGrind) February 14, 2018
GV's Joe Kraus at #StartupGrind : You don't really learn more from failures than successes (though it might do something for your character). Get a job in a company with a culture of success before starting a company.
— Robert Hof (@robhof) February 13, 2018
“Just because there is a gap in the market does not mean there is a market in the gap” –@TGorny #StartupGrind pic.twitter.com/TKbAvmdYKb
— Launch Dayton (@LaunchDayton) February 13, 2018
#startupgrind pic.twitter.com/c4tKyvrnGT
— Launch Dayton (@LaunchDayton) February 14, 2018
Goals for v1 of your product via @appswithoutcode pic.twitter.com/EbDZVfzGVD
— Launch Dayton (@LaunchDayton) February 14, 2018
— Launch Dayton (@LaunchDayton) February 14, 2018
How to build an app without coding. #StartupGrind pic.twitter.com/jP2LC4gNWn
— Launch Dayton (@LaunchDayton) February 14, 2018
Click here for the toolkit on how to build a technical business if you’re not a techie: toolkit-v3
Leadership
Four steps to being a better leader from @srochet! pic.twitter.com/Yac7MMOJH8
— Launch Dayton (@LaunchDayton) February 14, 2018
"If we can mentally prepare ourselves in the best possible way, we'll be able to overcome the inevitable challenges of business." @richardpierson #StartupGrind
— Startup Grind (@StartupGrind) February 14, 2018
"Leaders are starting to become aware of how important it is to look after the wellness & mindfulness of your employees in order to remain productive." @richardpierson #StartupGrind
— Startup Grind (@StartupGrind) February 14, 2018
"Change needs to come from the top. CEOs need to make diversity one of their top priorities!" @emilychangtv #StartupGrind #Diversity #Women #SiliconValley
— Startup Grind (@StartupGrind) February 14, 2018
Capital
Words of wisdom from @parkjames “avoid raising too much capital up front because it can negatively impact your operational efficiency” #startups #StartupGrind
— The Village Method (@VillageMethod) February 13, 2018
"Interview, ask, reference your VC partner. Interview their portfolio's CEOs." @neil_sequeira, Defy Partners at #StartupGrind
— Google for Startups (@GoogleStartups) February 13, 2018
@StaceyCurry from @scaleventures suggests talking with VCs a year or so before you need funding to start to form the relationship. #startupgrind #femalefounders
— ThinkResults (@Think_Results) February 13, 2018
Our Startup Grind Dayton chapter was well represented with directors Candace Dalmagne-Rouge and Greg Meredith introducing world-class speakers during the event.
.@dgmeredith representing #Dayton and @startupgrindDYT to kick off the How to be a Great Leader session. pic.twitter.com/79rFDH4PwX
— Launch Dayton (@LaunchDayton) February 14, 2018
First @dgmeredith and now @CandaceDRouge! Way to represent @startupgrindDYT and #Dayton at #startupgrind Global Conference 2018! pic.twitter.com/ysS00dSl2n
— Launch Dayton (@LaunchDayton) February 14, 2018
Be sure to join the next Startup Grind Dayton. Check out their schedule here!
