Beware the Startups Cargo Cult

by Max Gurvits

Beware the Startups Cargo Cult

Follow me: @MxGur @CCCStartups

Max Gurvits

So what is a CARGO CULT?

The form is perfect. It looks exactly the way it looked before. But it doesn't work. So I call these things cargo cult science, because they follow all the apparent precepts and forms, but they're missing the essential parts.

Richard Feynman Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman, 1974

Burning Man 2013

Sounds familiar?

What if it’s the same for startups?

No, seriously

Hype Social elevator

Glamor

No responsibility

But in reality…

It’s a pain

There are two phases in startups

Before validation: Stay cheap

Before validation: Iterate, Experiment

Before validation: Understand Problem

Cargo Cult #1: Accelerators

Reality:

Cargo Cult #2: Pitching Fetish

First pitch

Second pitch

Elevator pitch

-  What -  How -  Why

-  Tech jargon -  Explanation -  Boring

Best elevator pitch

Cargo Cult #3: LEAN

All those books sell really well

But everything has been said by

sgblank

Lean only teaches you how to fail in acceptable ways

Cargo Cult #4: MVP

MVP is established through discovery

Remember the two Mileys?

How do you know validation?

No hard numbers, just indicators:

20+ recurring business/enterprise subscriptions 3x/5x in waiting list 1 distribution partnership Monthly break-even revenues

No hard numbers, just indicators:

100,000 downloads Double-digit MoM growth

Cargo Cult #5: Adjacent geography

How the World Really Looks Like

Cargo Cult #6: Just Add Money

Cargo Cult #7: Rockstar founders

Cargo Cult #8: Just add sales

Instead of cults, focus on real goals

Good cult 1: HUSTLE

Good cult 2: MARKETS

Good cult 3: CUSTOMERS

Good cult 4: TALENT

Forget cargo cults: This Is SPARTA

Follow me: @MxGur @CCCStartups

Max Gurvits