In no particular order, here are my thoughts…

<aside> 💡 Principle 1: build, invest & iterate in your “personal operating system”

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• When operating think of yourself like a machine into which information flows, gets processed and comes out with a task completed. The “machine” itself is your “personal operating system” - your system of tech tools (e.g. email client), lists, follow up reminders etc. which enables you to get shit done
• Everybody will have their own operating system but should invest, typically upfront, in order to build this effectively
• Importantly, your own operating system may change over time - iterate on it until you find something which works

<aside> 💡 Principle 2: write everything down

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• Because nobody, no matter how smart they are, cannot remember everything
• It is also a great visual signal to somebody that you are actually listening! Remember, handwritten notes are often far less distracting than typing when in person too
• Anecdote: I got shouted at in my first job in finance after going to a VP’s desk without a notepad and then forgetting what they had said by the end…I learnt my lesson quickly!

<aside> 💡 Principle 3: a startup is “a temporary organisation formed in search of a repeatable, scalable, (and profitable) business model.” Having the mindset about whether what you are creating is repeatable & scalable is absolutely vital in the building phases

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• Having the mindset about whether something is repeatable & scalable is key - often the solution is to do so using technology
• There’s a balance though; you can over-invest in building a process, tools or system for something which you end up not having to repeat or as the process changes significantly.
• Remember this definition in the early stages of a business, as you scale is key. It was coined by Steve Blank in the Startup Owner’s Manual - link

<aside> 💡 Principle 4: follow up on everything

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• This seemingly small reminder and tactic is the different between somebody good and somebody great
• People have a natural inertia to do what they want, not what you want. So follow up (in the right way of course) to make sure they’re on track