How Future Billionaires Get Sh*t Done
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How Future Billionaires Get Sh*t Done
- Believes in the importance of a well-managed to-do list and choosing right software for this task.
- Disapproves writing ideas in notebooks as they can be easily lost.
- Important discussion about how future billionaires manage their work.
PG Essay
- Dalton Caldwell expresses his inspiration from a blog post by Paul Graham titled 'Maker schedule, Manager schedule'.
- The post discusses the difference in organizing time between 'makers' (programmers) and managers.
Maker Schedule
- Maker schedule advocates for long uninterrupted blocks of time for maximum productivity, primarily for roles that require complex problem-solving, such as programmers.
- Distractions or interruptions in the 'maker' schedule often lead to a complete restart of work state and reduce efficiency.
- It's different from manager schedule, where tasks can be done in shorter time increments.
The Right Time
- Shared experience indicates that in start-ups, less meaningful work is performed before lunch.
- The programming and substantial work typically start after lunch when there are fewer interruptions.
- Encourages intentionally structuring schedules for maximum productivity during 'Maker' hours.
Structure of YC
- Y Combinator (YC) designed to give founders more 'maker' time.
- The program has few events, a hard deadline (demo day), and weekly check-ins on progress.
- The goal is maximizing productivity in 'maker' mode.
Manager Schedule
- Manager schedule emphasizes prioritizing tasks from the to-do list first.
- Inboxes, mainly driven by others, should not dictate your tasks.
Meetings
- Encourages taking notes during meetings, so you do not forget key points.
- If meeting notes aren't taken, subsequent meetings become necessary, wasting valuable time.
Visible KPIs
- Successful founders often have a dashboard displaying key business KPIs, constantly in their view.
- Having immediate knowledge of key metrics can significantly assist in making swift, informed decisions.
Your Main Focus
- Concepts from the makers schedule can apply to customer relationship and sales roles as well.
- It's recommended that co-founders allocate large time blocks for sales activities.
Social Media
- Social media identified as a potential time-wasting loophole for many founders.
- Recommends finding a healthy balance to avoid spending too much time on social platforms.
Tools for Time
- Two types of tools help founders be effective: one to organize time better and the other to protect their time.
- For effective utilization of time and productivity, founders should use both types of tools. Successful people recognize their weaknesses and apply tools for help.
Great founders not do
- Great founders avoid unnecessary distractions. Social media was specifically cited as a distraction that founders should avoid or limit their usage of.
Startup Mentorship
- Founders are often attracted to collecting mentors, advisors, and participating in accelerators and advisory boards as it gives the perception of actively engaging in successful startup activities.
- However, this can be a time-consuming process and could lead to a scenario where a startup founder has never developed a product or gained any customers, due to being caught up in the cycle of startup mentorship.
- This behaviour is often driven by fear and the belief that these activities will de-risk their startups as they have several individuals validating their ideas.
- Instead, the three main strategies to de-risk a startup are suggested to be interacting with customers, building and launching a product, and a third one which was not disclosed in this section.
- Doing anything beyond these activities can divert focus from the primary purpose of a startup and might not be the most optimal way of de-risking a startup.