How not to startup
The complete guide to crushing it poorly
Step one: Name and logo. This always comes first.
It’s got to rock, man. That’s how you know you’re cool.
My best guess: draw a circle, split it into four with an X, and put some vector art inside it. Black and white only! Colors are so 2015.
Then find a single word that sounds pretty cool when you say it out loud and also has a double meaning if you squint a bit, like “Flow” or “Horse”. This must come first.
Get some business cards printed and register a disruptive domain name. flow.horse. Yeah.
Drink a fine whisky while you’re doing this, like an 18-year Oban or a rare Macallan.
Step two: Do the research.
Read everything Paul Graham has ever written.
That’s it. You’re ready.
Step three: Fake it til you make it.
Get a Patagonia vest and make sure you’ve got a couple of pairs of AirPods. When one pair runs out of battery, mid-conversation maybe, just swap them out with the next one. It pays to be prepared.
Talk to a whole bunch of famous people on Twitter. Hang out on Clubhouse. Develop a…
