P = NP or does it

My first startup was in 1999. We exited in 2000, just before the crash.

Back then, everyone was reading Gödel, Escher, Bach, talking about P=NP, and discussing heuristics.

We were convinced that only the smartest people on the planet launched companies.

Then I learned how to grow fast from a man who had been a Chef. Not an intellectual, no college degree, and a net worth far greater than mine.

He began cooking in Belgium. Went to culinary school. Moved to the US.

Soon, he had a formula for growth. He bought failing restaurants, made them profitable, and flipped for a profit.

His advice. Stop talking about nonsense and go sell something.

That was life changing.

Something I would have not listened to except that he invested $250,000 and became CEO.

So we began selling.

Converting an old dental office to our headquarters, we got 8 phone lines, 8 desks, and two computers. I used a computer to code the MVP. He used a computer to keep the books.

Day one was cold calling to set appointments.

Day two was cold calling.

Day three was cold calling.

Day four was our first sales meeting. We became revenue positive.

Day five was our second sales meeting. More revenue.

And so it went.

Then we hired SDRs to do the calling.

6 open desks with solitary phones were soon filled with eager startup employees.

I had a book of sales leads. Yes, a book. We printed off pages and put stacks of paper on each desk.

We wrote a script based upon our most successful calls.

Then it began. SDRs were paid hourly with a bonus for every appointment made. The calendar was on a white board along with a leaderboard.

Each time an appointment was made, the SDR would make a hash next to their name. They were all wanting to win the game.

Not long after, we hired AEs to take the appointments, a few engineers, and a shared assistant to manage the office.

The lesson. Do what has to be done to grow.

We only raised one more time before selling the company for a nice profit.

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