Wednesday 14 April 2010

Management insights for startups


I've always innovated - there's something in the way my brain works that means that I just can't accept something that could be done better. But turning that impatience into entrepreneurial success is hard. I've made hardware add-ons for synthesizers, produced a model-based editor for FM synthesizers, figured out my own way to get 2/3rds of the way towards solving Rubik's cube, suggested some interesting corporate uses for that I can't talk about, and founded a startup company from one of my ideas. But I'm still learning, and there's lots more to do.

One way to see how much there is to do, but also learn ways to get there, is to study people who have gone further. So when I found this article from one of my heroes, I was more than happy to blog it, because it has strong self-analysis, good recommendations, and it tells a fascinating story.

The article is by Nova Spivack, one of the creative thinkers behind Twine (now joined up with Evri) and gives a good insight into how challenging startups can be, but also how rewarding, and maybe it also hints at how addictive they can be...

If you haven't explored Twine, then I encourage you to do so. I'm resisting the temptation the say what it is all about, because I always think that part of the thrill of discovery is not to get a simple soundbite, but to have to try and figure it out yourself. I'm one of those people who has to have a mental model of what something is, how it works, and how it fits into the world. Until I have that, then my mind is feverishly learning, trying to figure it out. Once I've got it sussed, then I use the model to predict, to categorise, to cross-analyse and compare, and more. So I might take slightly longer to get to the 'Aha!' moment, but when I'm there, I'm thinking around the subject and figuring out how it relates to other things.

As you've probably guessed, this isn't very far removed from what Twine, Evri, and Nova are all about too...



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