One-page job scorecards make one-on-ones faster and clearer
Bill Gallagher
February 9, 2021
Management
8
Processes & SOPs
5
- One-page scorecards eliminate confusion and conflict in one-on-ones
- One events company cut one-on-one time to 15 minutes fortnightly
- Only two inputs needed: the scorecard and quarterly initiatives
Hiring & recruitment
YouTube
How startups can win hiring battles against big tech companies
Y Combinator
February 8, 2021
Hiring & recruitment
9
Competitive analysis
5
- Your hiring speed exposes big tech's bureaucracy to candidates directly.
- Personalised follow-ups from every interviewer signal a culture big companies can't match.
- Big-company project cancellations are your best argument for joining a startup.
Customer discovery
YouTube
Why startups fail: the user conversation problem
Y Combinator
February 8, 2021
Customer discovery
9
Identity & self-belief
6
- Startups die because founders build what users never wanted
- Polishing code instead of talking to users is a fatal trap
- Listen to user symptoms, but you prescribe the solution
How to consistently increase gross margins in your business
Cameron Herold
February 7, 2021
Pricing strategy
9
Unit economics
7
Processes & SOPs
5
- Raise prices at least 2–3% every year, minimum.
- Renegotiate supplier costs every six to twelve months — just ask.
- Inventory businesses need gross margin × turns to hit 240 or above.
Unlocking team performance by understanding what people want
Bill Gallagher
February 2, 2021
Management
8
Culture building
5
- Not knowing your team's personal goals is the core engagement problem
- Connecting daily work to personal ambitions drives performance without new hires
- A one-page personal plan, reviewed monthly, keeps alignment current
Long-term planning
YouTube
How to set your KPI as a startup founder
Y Combinator
February 1, 2021
Long-term planning
8
Processes & SOPs
6
- Only four KPIs are valid — pick one and don't invent your own
- Secondary metrics are where the real weekly optimisation happens
- Custom top KPIs make investor comparisons impossible
Using a quarterly theme to focus a team on one priority
Bill Gallagher
January 26, 2021
Management
7
Long-term planning
5
- Too many priorities scatter teams — pick just one number one thing
- A rallying cry keeps the top priority visible across the whole company
- Apollo 13's 'failure is not an option' shows one crisis, one focus, one phrase
Equity & cap tables
YouTube
How much equity to give early startup employees
Y Combinator
January 25, 2021
Equity & cap tables
9
Hiring & recruitment
5
- First employees typically get 1–2%; plan the full pool before distributing
- Equity is a tool to boost success odds, not a pie to divide
- No successful founder has ever regretted being generous with early equity
Business operating systems
YouTube
Using the Rockefeller Habits checklist to build team accountability
Bill Gallagher
January 19, 2021
Business operating systems
9
Management
6
- Founder over-involvement stops teams from committing or developing.
- Rockefeller Habits checklist: the practical starting point for letting go.
- Trust the process first — then trust your people.
Cash flow management
YouTube
Weekly cash flow projection as a crisis prevention tool
Bill Gallagher
January 12, 2021
- Most cash crises are preventable with a weekly rolling forecast
- Start with 13 weeks, expand to a full 52-week model
- Feed new contracts into the model to see cash impact immediately
Identity & self-belief
YouTube
Lessons from YC top founders: authenticity, focus, and culture
Y Combinator
January 12, 2021
Identity & self-belief
8
Deep work & focus
7
Culture building
6
- Build on a problem you personally feel — or you'll quit
- Focus on one metric weekly; ignore everything else
- Define culture and values before you think you need to
Process accountability: fixing breakdowns at departmental handoffs
Bill Gallagher
December 30, 2020
Processes & SOPs
9
Management
5
- Breakdowns happen at handoffs between departments, not inside them
- One owner plus metrics on a process surfaces root causes fast
- PACE framework maps core processes, assigns owners, drives improvements
How process accountability charts fix cross-department breakdowns
Bill Gallagher
December 29, 2020
Processes & SOPs
9
Management
5
- Breakdowns happen at handoffs between departments, not inside them
- One owner plus clear metrics eliminates cross-functional chaos
- A menu of standard options beats infinite sales-team improvisation
Productivity & habits
YouTube
How to reach inbox zero using the four D's system
Cameron Herold
December 28, 2020
Productivity & habits
9
Processes & SOPs
5
- Four D's: delete, delegate, deal with, or drag to a folder
- Four deferral folders replace an overflowing inbox permanently
- Triage once or twice daily; end every day at inbox zero
Using employee net promoter scores to improve team engagement
Bill Gallagher
December 22, 2020
Management
8
Processes & SOPs
6
- Two questions reveal who shouldn't be on your team at all
- Monthly rolling surveys beat annual ones for fast culture feedback
- Better engagement compounds into retention, recruiting, and profit gains