The Ultimate Start-Up Guide

15

The Launch

REID HOFFMAN, CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, LINKEDIN, PARTNER, GREYLOCK PARTNERS

IF YOU’RE NOT EMBARRASSED BY THE FIRST VERSION OF YOUR PRODUCT, YOU’VE LAUNCHED TOO LATE.

YOUR GRANDMOTHER

YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT A FIRST IMPRESSION.

CROWDED OCEAN

EVERY LAUNCH SLIPS AT LEAST ONCE. USUALLY TWICE.

ASK ANYONE IN SILICON VALLEY and they’ve each got their own theory about how to launch a start-up. There’s the “soft launch,” the “rolling launch,” the “steady drumbeat launch.” You get the idea. Then there’s the founder who brags that he didn’t spend a dime on marketing and sold his company for a gazillion dollars. That rarity—WhatsApp is a great example— is responsible for more company failures than we can count.

For the other ...