Thursday, March 20, 2008

Sequoias investing Mantra

These guys at Sequoia are awesome. I always wonder how they are so successful and helped change so many peoples life. May be one day I want to work with these guys making world a better place.

Sequoias investing Mantra
Elements of
Sustainable Companies

Clarity of Purpose


Summarize the company's business on the back of a business card.

Large Markets


Address
existing markets poised for rapid growth or change. A market on the
path to a $1B potential allows for error and time for real margins to
develop.

Rich Customers


Target customers who will move fast and pay a premium for a unique offering.

Focus


Customers will only buy a simple product with a singular value proposition.

Pain Killers


Pick the one thing that is of burning importance to the customer then delight them with a compelling solution.

Think Differently


Constantly challenge conventional wisdom. Take the contrarian route. Create novel solutions. Outwit the competition.

Team DNA


A
company’s DNA is set in the first 90 days. All team members are the
smartest or most clever in their domain. "A" level founders attract an
"A" level team.

Agility


Stealth and speed will usually help beat-out large companies.

Frugality


Focus spending on what's critical. Spend only on the priorities and maximize profitability.

Inferno


Start
with only a little money. It forces discipline and focus. A huge market
with customers yearning for a product developed by great engineers
requires very little firepower.