Evaluating Early-Stage Companies & Making the Leap:
Choosing your next role stands as one of the most vital investments - but, unfortunately, no one hands
you a ready-made toolbox to navigate significant career decisions. Evaluating opportunities in the
dynamic realm of startups - without much publicly-available information and data to grasp onto — is like
solving a puzzle with missing pieces.
Here are some questions to aid in assessing opportunities within startups (Pre-seed, Seed or Series A):
1. Customers:
a. Who are the earliest users, where will we find them, & how do we expand further?
b. Why do these folks choose to purchase from us? (Equally important, why do some not?)
2. Processes & Systems:
a. When do our customers need our product/services, and how frequently?
b. How long does it take to source and close a deal?
3. Leadership Team & Values:
a. What is the company's long-term vision?
b. What gives the founding team confidence in their ability to do so?
c. What does the world look like if the company achieves wild success?
d. On the flip side, if the company falters in two years from now, why will it happen?
4. Other Factors:
a. Competitors: Who are our competitors? What sets our product apart? (Delta 4 theory)
b. Scalability Barriers: What are the barriers to growing faster today — is it technology,
operational lift, marketing spend, product availability, sales capacity, or something else?
Bonus questions to ask the founders and the leadership team:
1. What are the most recent experiments the company tried and failed?
2. What are some of the scenarios where the company prioritised its values over the revenue?
3. Which specific companies and leaders the leadership team admires and seeks to emulate? Why?
“There's no better time to make a bet on yourself than when things feel like they're in flux.” - Judy Abad