Looking to start a business or join a startup? Follow your heart, but take your brain with you...

Looking to join a startup?

Avoid buyer's remorse by asking these fundamental startup-centric questions.

40 Questions From Y Combinator to Crash-Test Your Startup, with much thanks to David Sym-Smith 👏🏼

I would add:

After picking the right team and partners - in my view this is your first make or break step - then comes vision, inspiration, energy and vigour and an excellent product or offer, etc.

Ask how your leadership intends to keep these ‘magical pixie dust’ elements alive as your business grows from a cute little huggable dough-eyed puppy into a global heavyweight. (They’ll need a super COO!)

How do our new hires from different cultures and geographies fit into that? How will they behave under stress/ pressure? Do you trust them to show up for you like you do for them, when it matters most?

And be careful not to accept the ‘’this is a startup, we break shit and things happen fast here, too fast that we couldn’t sort out that ‘thing’ that was important to you!’’ sort of excuses!

If you don’t feel it in your belly after you’ve done the legwork, speak to people and then go with that; trust your gut.

#leadership #startups #trust #confidence #innovation #successfactors #duediligence #will #skill #culture #vigour #inclusion #belonging #risk #mitigation #opportunity #skininthegame #equitablegrowth