25 Tips For Tech Founders
25 Tips for Founders: A Candid Breakdown with Cyndi Gula
In this episode of VC 101 from Gula Tech Adventures, Ron and Cyndi Gula sit down at their home studio to break down and reflect on Chris Donnelly's "Top 25 Tips for Startups." With decades of experience founding and scaling companies like Tenable and investing in cybersecurity startups, the Gulas bring honesty, humor, and hard-earned insights to each point. Here is a comprehensive summary of their discussion, with takeaways on each tip.
1. People do not owe you loyalty.
Respect and loyalty are earned, not assumed. If someone leaves your company, don’t take it personally. People have lives and ambitions beyond your venture.
2. The worst time to offer a pay raise is when someone hands in their notice.
Too little, too late. If you're listening to your team and cultivating good culture, you should know when people are dissatisfied. Don't be reactive.
3. Running a business is brutal. You will lose sleep and friendships.
Disagree. The Gulas advocate for balance. If you’re constantly sacrificing relationships, maybe you need to rethink your model.
4. Hiring is the most important thing in your business.
Partially true. People are critical, but hiring must be strategic. Wrong hires hurt more than they help.
5. Just because your calendar is full doesn’t mean you’re productive.
True. Prioritize impact, not activity. Cancel meetings for more important work when needed.
6. Product reviews are a goldmine for product insight.
Yes, but don’t get thrown off by edge-case media tests. Listen to real customers and respond with class.
7. Create a deep-work routine.
Ideal but hard in a startup. Founders wear too many hats. Be flexible and opportunistic.
8. Working for free is a great way to start.
Sort of. You may defer salary, but always know and track your value. Don’t devalue your time.
9. You will not win unless you’re obsessed.
Replace “obsessed” with “professional.” Be focused, prepared, and thorough—but avoid burnout.
10. Build your personal brand alongside your business.
Fine early on, but don’t forget your company eventually becomes bigger than you. Let others shine.
11. You will fail every day.
A bit overblown. Learn from mistakes, but if you're failing constantly, reassess your strategy.
12. You don’t need funding to start.
True. Bootstrap when you can. Know when funding accelerates your goals—it’s not the goal itself.
13. Best ideas come away from screens.
Agreed. Take walks, get outside, talk to customers. Inspiration often comes offline.
14. You’ll wear many hats early on.
Absolutely. Founders must know every corner of the business and know when to let go.
15. Most founders are busy doing the wrong things.
Find the 20% that drives 80% of results. Delegate the rest. Ebb and flow is normal.
16. Network like your life depends on it.
Debatable. Be strategic. Don’t waste time at events that don’t yield results. But network to boost your confidence and refine your pitch.
17. A-players aren’t always the loudest.
Yes. Recognize, support, and reward quietly productive team members. Don’t confuse volume for value.
18. Make your team your top priority.
Absolutely. Enable your team to succeed and they’ll delight customers.
19. Always give more than you take.
Ambiguous. Don’t burn out by overextending. Lead by example, but protect your time and energy.
20. Know your target customer better than yourself.
Yes. Understand the problem deeply and listen to customers. Don’t just assume you’re right.
21. Meetings drain energy. Keep them short and focused.
Set agendas. Respect time. Avoid derailing with strategic issues unless scheduled.
22. Use AI to improve processes or be left behind.
Yes. Explore AI for automation, speed, and delight. Stay current or fall behind.
23. A strong community is gold.
True. Build relationships with users, contributors, and ecosystem partners. Don’t squander trust.
24. Systems and processes are everything when scaling.
Critical. Scaling without systems leads to chaos. Use automation and AI where appropriate.
25. Don’t expect new hires to succeed without training and resources.
Exactly. Enable your people. Don’t dump responsibility without support. Invest in HR and onboarding.
Conclusion
Startups are complex and personal. These 25 tips offer a mix of real talk, strategy, and tactical wisdom. The Gulas remind us that startups are not one-size-fits-all. Learn from others, iterate, ask questions, and never lose sight of why you started: to solve a meaningful problem.
If you're on your founder journey, tune into more VC 101 videos, especially the Five Slide Pitch format. It’s a great tool to get your story straight. Connect with Ron and Cyndi Gula on LinkedIn to keep learning and stay inspired.