At the end of 2021 when I sat down to review my year and write my goals for the next, I felt that I was at the intersection of two major life forces.
1. I had joined a large enterprise as a consulting senior PM 3 months prior and 2. I was due my first child in 6 weeks Whilst I hit all my goals for 2021 something about it all did not feel challenging.
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To:
Founders, Indie hackers & ambitious employees From: Matt Quinn (2 time non technical co-founder, side project maniac and 2x corporate sell out) Subject: Put your blinders on and go get what you want As I round out the end of 3 months in my new corporate role, I wanted to jot down some quick thoughts on the gravity of mediocrity that plagues our world and how important it is to fight it. To:
Founders & ambitious employees From: Matt Quinn (2 time non technical co-founder, several time startup employee and 2x corporate sell out) Subject: In failure there is still gold to be had A really cringe thing but 100% true thing to say is that in failure there are things you can still gain. This is what I found myself explaining to a corporate tech lifer over a coffee in December - who had by his account, never taken a risk nor experienced the stress of failure or decline. To: Solo founders, those looking for cofounders & non techies looking to co-found a company
From: Matt Quinn (2 time non technical co-founder, ACA) Subject: RE: Found with the right team To: Product People, The Powers That Be
CC: Anyone who cares From: Matt Quinn (Head of Product, Dual Citizen, Lived in 8 major cities so far) Subject: RE: Does the world need more product managers? To: World
CC: Founders with chips on their shoulders who feel that nothing they do is enough From: Matt Quinn (2x founder, 1 exit, several side project - overly empathetic person) Subject: I think I had a break through My family is slowly catching on that we can enjoy activities online - together
On Saturday we watched an art class on zoom (from YouTube) and everyone had bought paints before hand. Costumes were involved. The outcome was fantastic, fun and affordable How often do you find you need advice, you reach out to people you look up to for help and their advice confirms everything you already knew, just in a clearer, unemotional way?
Over the past 2 years I have been sending personal network updates.
When people or companies come to me for advice, the number one thing I tell them is - start a network update. Keep me updated. I have recently gone through a string of bad hires, a problem we as an organisation have rapidly learned from (set candidates homework people!).
And as every hire hasn’t worked out I’ve looked back at their resume (CV for the English in the room) and wondered what did I miss? |
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October 2023
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