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It Won't be a Straight Line – MicroConf 2018

It Won't be a Straight Line – MicroConf 2018

Too often, business presentations focus on the larger successes with fleeting references to minor road bumps. After navigating a three-and-a-half year health-based distraction with two small children while running a business a sole founder, I wanted to share my slightly less rose-colored experience.

Ultimately, my outcome was positive since I was able to sell the business and move on, but the story focused more on understanding and embracing the curveballs that life invariably throws at us.

You can watch the [full video of the presentation on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq1n9fFIDCo).

Garrett Dimon

May 11, 2018
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  1. 10 SURGERIES 28 TOTAL HOURS IN HYPERBARIC 15 SURGEONS CONSULTED

    16 WOUND VAC CHANGES 20+ PROSTHETIST APPOINTMENTS 30 TOTAL NIGHTS IN HOSPITALS 60+ DOCTOR’S OFFICE VISITS 100+ PHYSICAL THERAPY APPOINTMENTS PROSTHETIST APPOINTMENTS 40+ 4 MRI/CT SCANS PAINKILLERS & ANTIBIOTICS COUNTLESS
  2. A new work fl ow to write, review, and ship

    web applications. A fast & reliable transactional-only email platform for web applications A complete work fl ow to write, review & deploy code. Instantly build and ship code anywhere in one consistent process for your entire team. Com ing soon Sold in 2017 Coming soon!
  3. LESSON: Inspiration doesn’t strike. It has to be cultivated. Don’t

    search for ideas. Just start creating and always be on the lookout for ideas.
  4. LESSON: Approach everything with baby steps. Never go all-in on

    your fi rst attempt. Build enough to justify payment and learn.Then build the real thing.
  5. David Heinemeier Hansson Cofounder of Basecamp The greater the uncertainty

    as to whether something will work at all, the less excellence you should invest before you fi nd out.
  6. V1 Manual Processes V2 Somewhat Automated V3 Highly Automated V4

    Hosted Web Application Spreadsheet Spreadsheet + Zapier Spreadsheet + Zapier + Stripe Hosted Web Application
  7. Tim O’Reilly Founder of O’Reilly Media When you have to

    prove the value of your ideas by persuading other people to pay for them, it clears out an awful lot of woolly thinking.
  8. LESSON: Sales is research. Talking to potential customers kills two

    birds with one stone. Then use that to iterate on your offering.
  9. ?

  10. LESSON: Recurring revenue is an amazing form of disability insurance.

    It’s easy to be scared of health issues, but recurring revenue makes it easier.
  11. VERSION 2.0 We feel con fi dent that the best

    step is to invest in a more ambitious solution.
  12. LESSON: Tiny steps are still steps. The key is that

    they’re your steps. Don’t compare your rate of progress to anyone else. (Or to “past you.”)
  13. LESSON: Trust and delegate. Don’t give up when your fi

    rst attempt doesn’t go well. In our personal lives, we don’t hesitate to trust experts, but with business, too often we try to go it alone.
  14. VERSION 2.1 Any major effort is going to run into

    issues and need some follow-on work.
  15. “We’ll keep you here a few more days and then

    we’ll move you to the fl oor.”
  16. LESSON: Growth is just a formula. You have to look

    at growth and plateaus as simple formulas. Then set goals accordingly.
  17. Time Number of Customers Real Growth with Churn Ceiling from

    Churn Hypothetical Linear Growth Zero Growth
  18. LESSON: Work on the right things. The likelihood of working

    on the right things correlates closely with what customers are telling you combined with your actual growth numbers.
  19. LESSON: Pain and discomfort are part of the process. Go

    right up to your limit. Push past it. Suffer a little. Then do it all over again.
  20. STEP BACK AND ASSESS How are you doing? Are you

    meeting your goals? Do you need to try something new?
  21. LESSON: Focus on tangible goals rather than long-term dreams. Let

    your dreams light the fi re, but remember that incremental and measurable goals are how you really get there.
  22. LESSON: Protect your focus for the things that really matter,

    and always work deliberately. Don’t avoid big decisions because they’re hard. Put your head down, do the research, decide, and then execute ruthlessly.
  23. 1 2

  24. LESSON: For some decisions, there’s not an obvious answer. You

    may need to make a leap of faith. Do your research, and make a decision. Sitting still can often be worse.
  25. LESSON: Don’t count on data and logic to provide the

    right answer. Too often we try to be 100% con fi dent about decisions that require a leap of faith.
  26. LESSON: It’s ok to let go. Just because something is

    holding you back, doesn’t mean you have to hold on too.
  27. LESSON: It’s about progress— not aspirations. Focus on how far

    you’ve come because our journeys never end. You’ll never reach a fi nish line.
  28. Bill Gates (Probably) Most people overestimate what they can do

    in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten.
  29. LESSON: Find your people so they can nudge you along

    safely. When you’re in the thick of it, it’s dif fi cult to know if you’re pushing yourself too hard or not hard enough.
  30. 🏃 ⛹ 🚶 NO PROBLEM 🚵 🏋 SIMPLE FOOT CHANGE

    🏂 ALL DAY (JUST A LITTLE SLOWER)
  31. LESSON: Don’t adjust too many variables at once. With business,

    you have a ton of dials you can adjust, but only a few matter.
  32. Sir Edmund Hillary First to summit Mt. Everest It is

    not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.