Jason's Talk at Cal Tech on This Week in Startups #135

TWiST #135: Jason Speaks at Cal Tech


Jason recently spoke at California Institute of Technology’s Entrepreneurship Club to a group of students and entrepreneurs, offering advice, inspiration and some anecdotes to learn from.

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1:00-2:00 How many people in the crowd want to be entrepreneurs when you grow up?
2:00-3:30 Jason gives a brief history of his career as an entrepreneur.
3:30-5:30 The importance of ideas, action and iteration.
5:30-6:30 Why pivoting is underrated and hard work is paramount.
6:30-8:30 How many entrepreneurs here agree that it’s hard, lonely work?
8:30-10:30 Why Twitter is a great example of successful product iteration.
10:30-12:30 It’s not about the idea, it’s about the space.
12:30-15:00 How Jason learned the hard way that you can’t fundamentally change people and what to look for in startup employees. (Watch the clip.)
15:00-15:45 Why consensus can hurt a business.
15:45-19:30 The trend of investors looking for people who actually build the product (developers and designers).
19:30-22:15 Money is free--if you have a good idea.
22:15-25:00 Don’t underestimate the importance of a good domain name.
25:00-28:00 Jason’s past companies, Silicon Alley Reporter and Weblogs, Inc., and his current company, Mahalo.
28:00-30:30 Discovering that video was the differentiator in how well pages on Mahalo did.
30:30-35:30 Question from the audience: How do you make a company ok with failure?
35:30-38:00 Question from the audience: How do young people find mentors? (Watch the clip.)
38:00-40:00 The difference in the Gen Y mentality about winning and success.
40:00-42:00 Question from the audience: What’s the difference between an inventor and an entrepreneur?
42:00-46:45 Question from the audience: How do you build a team?
46:45-50:30 Question from the audience: What would you do differently next time? (Watch the clip.)
50:30-53:30 Why entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone and why you should just go for it.

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Jason: @jason
Cal Tech: @caltech

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Comments

[Manny]

That was a great talk...Great advice and I think the words on iteration and pivoting were huge! I do want to say though I am also 40 with 3 small kids and although I get what your saying re being single helps I think people with families can still make it. If you build the idea and get great co founders and teams why would all the work be left to you? I think being passionate and working hard is important but we also need flexibility. At the end of the day staying in the office 14 hours a day versus mixing your time 10 hours in an office and doing another 2 at home is not going to make or break a company. Building and resourcing the right team and iterating is more important than working silly hours just for the hell of it. Thats my only point but otherwise loved it all. You were very generous with your input and very humble too...thanks!