All of our First-time founders articles
Starting a Company in a Space You’re Not an Expert in — This Founder Shares 6 Lessons
From the importance of founder naivety, to seeking out the doubters, to rigorously assessing founder/market fit, Irving Fain shares his lessons from building a company in a space he wasn't an expert in, as well as other takeaways from the earliest days at his startup, Bowery Farming.
Hiring a VP of Engineering? Use This Framework from Shopify’s VPE to Get it Right
After more than 20 years in tech, eight companies, and thousands of hires, Shopify's Farhan Thawar shares his go-to-framework for snagging a VP of Engineering. From the skills that are most important to the questions to ask and red flags to watch out for, his advice will help founders dive several l
This GTM-Leader-Turned-Investor Crowdsources Early Lessons From Stripe, Figma & More
As he makes the transition from operator to investor, Meka Asonye looks back on his career as a sales leader at Stripe and Mixpanel to offer tactical takeaways and go-to-market lessons — crowdsourcing additional advice from the top revenue leaders in his network.
A Founder's Guide to Writing Well
There's a long list of most frequently-cited skills for becoming a successful entrepreneur. One that rarely makes the list is effective writing. Upstart CEO Dave Girouard pens this thoughtful case for the importance of strong writing in the startup world — and his tips for leveling up.
The Founder's Field Guide for Navigating a Crisis — Advice from Recession-Era Leaders, Investors and CEOs Currently at the Helm
We've tapped First Round partners, recession-era founders and our community of CEOs to put together the most comprehensive guide available about what it takes to lead a startup during this economic crisis. From extending your runway and reducing burn to supporting your team, this guide tackles the t
This Founder Built Startups in 2008, 2016 and 2018. Here’s What He’s Learned About Resiliency
Bob Moore's first brush with life as a founder started in 2008—three days before Lehman Brothers collapsed. Since he cut his teeth as a first-time founder in turbulent times, he's gone on to build two other companies. Here, Moore shares the lessons he's learned along the way.
NerdWallet’s CEO on Navigating the Shift from First-Time Founder to Seasoned Exec
NerdWallet co-founder and CEO Tim Chen reflects on the arc of his journey as founder after more than a decade of company building. He shares the six mindset shifts he needed to make to transition from entrepreneur to executive as his startup scaled, weaving together a collection of lessons that will