#founderlife
A short talk + AMA about startups
Khurram Virani (KV)
Quick disclaimer
No experience raising money
- Taught people about computers starting age 10
- Built first curriculum in grade 9 (CS)
- Went to UoG for 4-year CS program with Co-op
- Worked at various startups (one of which was acquired by Google after I left)
- Ran a boutique software agency ("dev shop") in Toronto
- Hired tens of developers from various programs
- Assumed I'd get into teaching in "late career"
A Short Backstory
- Moved from Toronto to Vancouver to start LHL in Q4 of 2013
- Vision: Ensure that technological change is a source of opportunity for everyone
-
Mission: Efficiently preparing the workforce with the skills necessary to succeed in roles that leverage
Data & Technology
Lighthouse Labs
Some Lessons Learned
Lesson 0
Learning from others' mistakes is better than learning from your own
Lesson 1
Just because I'm a tech person, doesn't mean I can only create or run tech businesses
Lesson 2
Co-founders are great, but understand their values and motivations.
What are their goals and how do they compare to yours?
Lesson 3
Think about Mission and Vision for your company as early as possible.
Always keep them in mind.
Lesson 4
Be careful about building a product around a feature that should belong in existing ones
Lesson 5
Keep a list of your ideas, yes.
But instead it should be a list of problem definitions first, not solutions first
Lesson 6
Mentorship is key.
Have mentors to work on important weaknesses
