FIXZR

When I worked for big blue chip companies (with nice free coffee, toilets bigger than our office and more reception staff that we had employees) I used to view the word ’start-up’ as a red flag. Companies with no balance sheet, no trading history, and a 50:50 chance of being there to support their product were best avoided.

I now view ’start-up’ in a very different way. The risks I knew from before all still stand (in fact I’d be even more wary on some fronts), but at a personal level I can’t imagine a more rewarding and dynamic environment to work in. But should big businesses work with them? - Yes, but just not for mission critical services perhaps! What a start-up can do for you with £/€/$40k is amazing, that amount wouldn’t even buy you a quote from a large corporate (someome has to pay for the coffees you know). I look forward to seeing more ‘dating’ services to bring start-ups to the attention of relevant businesses (something the better VC’s do well for their portfolio companies).

The other area I used to pooh-pooh the word ’start-up’ was on people CV’s (I’ve changed my view now I’m on the other side of the fence you’ll be surprised to hear). I think I equated ’start-up’ experience to being semi-unemployed/unemployable! However it is (with the odd exception) untrue, in fact the qualities I assumed lacking (drive, commitment, team leadership) are in fact perhaps even more present in those betting on themselves (an inspiring others) in start-ups.