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Calacanis is right (on the important stuff)
Jason Calacanis wrote a blog post that created a firestorm on the Web. On the important stuff he’s right on. Here are my thoughts:
- “Buy Macintosh computers, save money on an IT department.” Come on, Jason - Macs break down too. Plus, I’m way more productive on a PC - so are most other people.
- “Buy a second monitor for everyone” Apparently research by the UofUÂ proves he’s right!
- “Buy everyone lunch four days a week and establish a no-meetings policy.” That could be expensive but I understand that he’s trying to keep people in the office. Also, a no-meeting policy would be awesome but is that really reality?
- “Buy cheap tables and expensive chairs.” Great advice.
- “Don’t buy a phone system.” If you’re a Web play like Mahalo - this probably works - if you have a sales team this won’t work.
- “Rent out your extra space.” Right on.
- “Outsource accounting and HR…” absolutely!
- “Don’t buy everyone Microsoft Office” ahhhh - if you want people to be productive make sure they have an office suite. Google Docs is still just a toy.
- “Use Google hosted email.” Yes!
- “Buy your hardest working folks computers for home.” I’ve have found that most people already own a PC or laptop - maybe offer to pay their home ISP bill?
- (I’ll come back to this one later.)
- “Get an expensive, automatic espresso machine at the office.” That will work everywhere except Utah.
- “Stock the fridge with sodas” Yes!
- “Allow folks to work off hours.” Great idea especially for your programmers.
- “Go to each of your vendors every 6-9 months and ask for 10-30% off.” You may not get it but it never hurts to ask.
- “Don’t waste money on recruiters.” probably true.
- “Really think about if you need that $15,000 a month PR firm.” This is good advice - PR firms are either a black hole or worth their weight in gold.
- “Outsource to middle America.” I live in middle America. How can I disagree with this?
Now back to #11. originally Jason Wrote:
“Fire people who are not workaholics. don’t love their work… come on folks, this is start up life, it’s not a game. don’t work at a startup if you’re not into it–go work at the post office or starbucks if you’re not into it you want balance in your life. For realz.”
Later, he changed this to:
“Fire people who
are not workaholics.don’t love their work… come on folks, this is startup life,it’s not a game. don’t work at a startup if you’re not into it–go work at the post office or stabucks if you’re not into ityou want balance in your life. For realz.” Â
He was attacked for saying this by people who have never had any accountability to shareholders, investors, etc. He was attacked for saying this by a professional journalist (and bloggers) who has no idea what its like to run a start up. What Jason says sounds harsh (and it is) but its mostly true. I would have worded it this way:
“Fire people who are not absolutely 100% dedicated to the businesses success. Fire people who don’t take the business as serious as you do. Fire people who are there just for a paycheck. Fire people who don’t fit the culture or turn out not to be qualified for the job their in. This is a start up, it’s not a game.”
Yeah, I know its harsh but so is bankruptcy.
# “Really think about if you need that $15,000 a month PR firm.†This is good advice - PR firms are either a black hole or worth their weight in gold.
You can insert just about any services company name in place of “PR Firm”
Left by Russell Page on 03/12/2008@Russ:
That is so true - great point!
Left by Chris Knudsen on 03/12/2008“Buy everyone lunch four days a week and establish a no-meetings policy.â€
I think where he was going with this, is that the lunch breaks ARE the meetings. And that outside of that don’t schedule meetings. So, he wasn’t trying to say do business without meeting. I can’t believe I am defending Calacanis…..
Left by Trent on 03/13/2008“I can’t believe I am defending Calacanis…..”
That’s funny
Left by Chris Knudsen on 03/13/2008