Everyone wants to get into startups.
They’ve become the new hottest thing.
Today, we uncover what to look for when joining a startup.
Nan Meka is VP at Pet Circle and a Fellow at Afterwork VC.
🤝 Connect with Nan#
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nan-meka-8b5a5812/
👇 Episode Takeaways#
Interviewing the Startup#
When looking for a startup role, you should be interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you.
Here are some things to look for:
- rigour of the business model
- market size (is the company in a growing market?)
- diversity
- team composition
- founder and exec team history
- product reviews and customer feedback
You should research the company thoroughly, and ask even more detailed questions during the interview.
If your interviewers don’t give many details, take it as a sign that they may have something to hide.
The Fallacy of Fundraising Size#
Startups that raise money are often in the news. We default to assuming that a big raise means a good company.
This is not always the case.
Currently, companies that recently raised lots of money are having to lay off workers.
Nan suggests taking the investment size with a grain of salt.
What is more important than the amount of capital raised is whether the company has a product that people love and will pay for.
Chasing Compensation#
As young people, we make mistakes often.
Nan says that one of the biggest mistakes we make is chasing compensation rather than learning opportunities.
I think early on in your career you should definitely optimize for learning over earning a high salary and even the role as well. And I strongly believe that if you invest in learning first, you are gonna develop that highly sought-after skill set which translates into that valuable role, which a high salary is ultimately a byproduct of.
Earning rather than learning may end up resulting in you earning less later in life.
While you are young, pursue learning opportunities.
📝 Content Timestamps#
00:00 Nan Meka
00:33 Transitioning from Corporate to Startups
07:45 Finding a good startup
15:45 Learning and Career Progression
19:58 Mistakes young people make
23:57 Nan’s Advice for Graduates