Become a Young CEO Before You Graduate - George Washington University

Become a Young CEO Before You GraduateSiavash Mahmoudian

Introduction● Started computer programming when I was 10, built my first shooting game

with Pascal at 11, implemented my first Web Application at 13 sold it to my school for $1600.

● Started coding remotely for companies in US at 15.● Studied Industrial Engineering, Civil Engineering and Information Technology

in three different universities at the same time.● Got 1st and 3rd prize in International Robotics Competitions

(Robocup 2007, Robocup 2009)● Founded my first startup while I was at university.● Came to US with H1B visa in 2011.● Co-founded Breezio (formerly called Programming.com)● Technical advisor of Company.com (Ranked #10 in the Inc 500 fastest growing companies)

● Have been speaker and mentor in Startup Weekend, Startup Grind, etc.

Content available at:bit.ly/gwu-startup

#GWUStartup @siavash

Startups!

It’s very hard!

It’s very counter intuitive.Like skiing. Lean back and you’ll fall.

(Idea + Product + Team + Execution)

(Idea + Product + Team + Execution) ⨉ Luck

Have an idea?

Does it matter?!

How to find it?

Explain your idea in two sentences

You will spend your next 5 years on it!

Define the market

Note Taking app

Validate your idea!

They will steal my idea.

My Story

● Teachers-Student role○ Taking courses you already know○ Teachers cannot keep up

● Same learning path for everyone● Evaluation of students

○ Exams○ School gives you the certificate

Problems

Find a co-founder

Product

Build something that users love!

Hand pick initial users and talk to them

● Build● Show to users● Support● Get feedback● Repeat

Start simple

Imagine the best user experience

Do one thing extremely well

Do things that don’t scale

You can make something that small group of people

LOVE, or big group of people LIKE.

Focus on growth

When your product is ready?

Define a metric

Find the magic moment!

My Story

STOPunless you have a great product

Again, co-founder is super important

How to hire?

Try not to hire!

When you must,hire the best

Fire fast.

My Story

Execution

Focus! Prioritize. Say no.

Articulate the mission and the vision

Define culture

Raising money

Be generous to your employees on shares

My Story

International Student?● International Services Office (ISO)● GW Career Center● GW Office of Entrepreneurship

Sources● My own journey on starting Programming.com and Breezio.● Funders and Founders (fundersandfounders.com)● Stanford sessions on How to Start a Startup:

○ How to start a startup (Sam Altman, Dustin Moskovitz) ○ Team and Execution (Sam Altman) ○ Before the Startup (Paul Graham) ○ Growth (Alex Schultz)○ How to build products users love (Kevin Hale)○ Competition is for Losers (Peter Thiel)○ How to get started, do things that don't scale ○ Culture (Brian Chesky, Alfred Lin)○ How to run a user interview (Emmett Shear)

That’s it!

Questions?!

Become a Young CEO Before You Graduate - George Washington University

Presentations & Public Speaking

Transcript of Become a Young CEO Before You Graduate - George Washington University