Issue 31  

On the hard and soft sides related of running a startup

Yes, data is key. But don't forget to do things that don't scale. A good mix of quantitive and qualitative focused research and ops is what keeps a startup human, and can actually ensure growth.

We've got 7,466 subscribers now. We learned that asking you to share it on Twitter didn't generate most new subscribers (those actually come from new #startup members). So from now on, we are not going to ask you to go out of your way to share Curated. But we did learn a lot from the interaction we got with you on the questions we asked you in the last edition, so be prepared for more :)

As you might have noticed, we've been playing with the categories and topics in SF Curated since its inception, and we would like to find out what topics you'd actually like us to curate. Which ones are you missing? Which ones do you look forward to the most?

I hope you do know that we welcome you to send us content you think deserves a spot. Feel free to co-curate with us!

Enjoy your weekend and do something that doesn't scale, but keep track

Leon

Startup Foundation

Must readMust read

16 Startup metrics

"Ultimately, though, good metrics aren’t about raising money from VCs — they’re about running the business in a way where founders know how and why certain things are working (or not) … and can address or adjust accordingly."

CultureCulture

How design thinking transformed Airbnb from a failing startup to a billion dollar business

"Gebbia shared that the team initially believed that everything they did had to be ‘scalable.’ It was only when they gave themselves permission to experiment with non-scalable changes to the business that they climbed out of what they called the ‘trough of sorrow."

The idea stage is broken, here's a way to fix it

What's your answer to "Did you pick this idea or did this idea pick you?"

Companies like Amazon need to run more tests on workplace practices

As startups we run tests or experiments to get to product market fit all the time. But do you also experiment with how your organisation will work?

Modern EntrepreneurshipModern Entrepreneurship

How one life hack from a self-made billionaire leads to exceptional success

Are you an expert, a generalist, or something even better? Learn all about the Expert-Generalist in this article and find out why they'll be in high demand.

6 rules to live by if you want to be an entrepreneur who gets s**t done

We love short lists, because hey, they cost less time. We love them even more when they deliver. If reading this list makes you think: that's all me, then congrats, you're on the right path. If you feel uncomfortable with any points on it, trust us, they're right.

GrowthGrowth

Turn strangers into customers with lead nurturing

What is lead nurturing and how do you do it, find out on Flight School.

How to calculate the virality effect of your application

Use this spreadsheet to understand all the assumptions and mechanisms.

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