Lessons Learned: A Year Running a Dev Shop at MarsBased

MarsBasedLessons learned

Hola hola!

I’m @lexrodbaRemember to say ‘hi’!

We are MarsBased

We are a software development shop with startup DNA

Company culture• Remote working.

• High specialisation.

• Transparency.

• Quality over quantity.

• Simpler is better.

• Work local, think global.

very company culture

such working

much meme

wowmany engagement

Failed projects

Moviment.cat

Woliva

Cookin.me

Reasons to fail

• We were not 100% committed to it.

• We didn’t know the customers.

• Too many dependencies & unknowns.

We found we knew how to make apps

Pivoting

• September 2013: Defined company culture.

• January 2014: Turned into a dev shop.

• March 2013: Rebranded.

The best time to launch isYESTERDAY

What you need

• Will to work

• Something that feeds you

• A computer + internet

• Optional: a co-founder

Rallying the troops

• Unaligned -> Set priorities

• Uncommitted -> Set goals

• Unresponsive -> Set rules

Team

• Want a team? Try this:

• Developer

• Sales

• MFIC

Sell MVP while it’s being built

Bootstrap FTW

Sales from day one

• Kick your sales guy out of the cave…

• … and lock him out (feed him from time to time).

• Events, cold email, LinkedIn…

Must have• Business cards • Elevator pitch • Dress accordingly

Nice to have• Evangelists • Good content • A website

Talk to me, babe

• Ideas are worth 0$

• No one will steal your idea

• People will give you feedback

Think big

• Actually, not that big: MVP

• Global or local? Get advise

• Expect the worst, prepare for the best

NEVER TRUST

• Always with contract.

• No favours on day one.

• Avoid these words: partnership, strategic/investment project, synergies.

Focus• Don’t multitask.

• The more hats, the less credibility.

• Focus drives the team together.

• Is X helping me succeed?

• Yes: Merge with current business.

• No: F*ck it!

Be your own company

• Corporate values.

• Communicate accordingly.

• Learn to say

What if you fail?

• Learn from that.

• Never give up.

• Share with others.

Have. Fucking. Fun.And most of all, whatever you do