Work at a Startup Expo 2018 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Justin Kahn, founder of multiple successful startups, shares his unfiltered views on the pros and cons of working at a startup, highlighting the challenges of bad management, unlikely wealth, and the lack of stability.

Key Insights

• 👀 Building a business in the tech industry requires both passion and a willingness to take risks. Startups face challenges like bad management and lack of mentorship, but they can also provide unique opportunities for growth and learning.
• 🔥 Startups should focus on hiring talent with diverse skills and backgrounds, as this will lead to innovative solutions and better decision-making.
• 💼 Joining a startup gives you access to jobs you may not be qualified for, allowing you to learn and grow quickly. It can also serve as a gateway to starting your own successful startup in the future.
• 💰 While joining a startup may not guarantee instant wealth, it can provide valuable experience and opportunities for personal growth that can lead to future success.
• 🌍 Startups should focus on addressing the needs of the market and creating products or services that solve real problems. In particular, focusing on providing value in growing markets, like the tech industry, can lead to long-term success.
• 💡 Startups that are able to recognize trends and make bold decisions are more likely to succeed. They should also seek out advice from trusted peers to help guide their decision-making processes.
• 🚀 Startups that prioritize exciting and meaningful work, create a supportive and inclusive work culture, and offer opportunities for personal and professional growth are more likely to attract top talent and succeed in the long run.
• 🌐 Startups that build innovative technologies and products, focus on scalability and efficiency, and prioritize customer needs are more likely to disrupt traditional industries and achieve long-term success.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: What are the three reasons Justin Kahn gives for joining a startup?

Justin Kahn highlights that joining a startup gives you access to jobs you may not initially be qualified for, serves as a gateway to starting your own startup in the future, and accelerates your rate of learning and personal growth. He shares examples of individuals who experienced these benefits firsthand.

Q: What are the three reasons Justin Kahn provides for not joining a startup?

Justin Kahn notes that management at startups can be problematic, with bad management being a common issue. He also highlights the statistical improbability of getting rich through a startup and the lack of stability in the startup world as reasons not to join. Lastly, he mentions that some people are drawn to Silicon Valley for the career pathing and stability it offers, which may not be aligned with the startup experience.

Q: What are the challenges faced by startups when it comes to hiring talent?

Many startups struggle with hiring talent due to the highly competitive nature of the industry and the shortage of skilled individuals. This is a problem that all the companies presenting at the conference face. The need for talented individuals across different roles, such as software engineers, machine learning engineers, and mobile engineers, is particularly highlighted.

Q: What is the unique approach that Make School takes in training students for high-growth tech companies?

Make School is a new model of college that focuses on training students for high-growth tech companies like the ones presenting at the conference. They offer a two-year program in computer science and prioritize mentorship and coaching from senior engineers. They aim to produce developers, not just software engineers, and emphasize diversity by admitting a significant number of underrepresented and low-income students.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Justin Kahn shares his experiences and insights on why you should and shouldn't join a startup, drawing from his own experiences as a founder of multiple YC companies.

• Reasons not to join a startup include poor management, lack of mentorship, and unlikely financial success.

• The reasons to join a startup include accessing job opportunities you may not be initially qualified for, learning valuable skills for starting your own startup in the future, and maximizing your speed of learning and personal growth.

Q: What are the three reasons Justin Kahn gives for joining a startup?

Justin Kahn highlights that joining a startup gives you access to jobs you may not initially be qualified for, serves as a gateway to starting your own startup in the future, and accelerates your rate of learning and personal growth. He shares examples of individuals who experienced these benefits firsthand.