Do Less but do it all the way!
I have long lamented my lack of coding ability and have stated that for this reason alone I will never be a founder. So, I was pretty excited when I heard about Code Academy last year. I was even more excited when they launched their Code Year program promising to teach you how to code in 2012.
Last night, I spent several hours plugging away on the 1st few lessons. It was fun. I enjoyed learning the basics of javascript. Variables, functions, strings, all good. But when I stopped last night it struck me that maybe I’m deluding and defocusing myself by spending time on this.
Some smart folks like Stephen Covey and Peter Drucker have often said “begin with the end in mind”. This is a phrase I think about often and one that came back last night to tell me I should not be coding.
I don’t believe part time training can make up for years of full time commitment to something. So, what are my objectives in coding? I don’t need a hobby, I already have one. I am not planning to quit VC to start a company. And I am fortunate to have many gifted technical people to rely on in due diligence. So why?
I took time off before the new year. Actually spent 10 days with no email. And when I plugged back into the Matrix I committed myself to stay more focused this year. Monotasking. Keep things simple. Focus on priorities, not tasks.
Entrepreneurs work way harder than investors, let’s be clear. But investors have so many demands on their time. Meetings to the power of meetings. So, if I am to maintain my commitment to my partners, founders, family and my health, I need to be doing less things, not more.
Moreover, while learning to code requires learning specific technical skills, I am still learning the art and science of being a great advisor, investor and manager. I still have so much to learn, so if I want to do any professional development, that’s the place to do it in.
I think we all could do less. We would survive if we followed fewer people online, checked social networks less, read fewer blogs (except this one of course…), and focused on fewer but key personal and professional priorities. And we would all benefit by taking the things we choose to focus on all the way!
I see too many startups tell me about their new initiatives or products when they have won 0.000001% of the potential addressable market that their existing product targeted. It’s so easy to start things. And when things are not going as planned, it’s easy to draw comfort in starting something new.
If you’re going to start something new, take time up front to think about the end state. What does this new commitment mean? What is your ultimate goal? How does that fit into everything else you are doing and want to do? How does it fit with your values, priorities, mission, etc? If you navigate all those filters and come out the other side, then it’s clearly something you should be doing. If not, kill it!
Great post Mark! Enduring the frustrations of getting a startup off the ground isn't easy and CodeAcademy looks like a potential opportunity to a non-technical founder-wannabe.
I fully agree with you – better to focus on what you can do.
Only hassle is that it doesn't provide much of a solution when you need and can't find a suitable technical co-founder, which provides more temptation to jump right in without considering the real consequences.
Yes but I need a worthy opponent.
As someone who is an entrepreneur without coding skills in my case its not a dilution its a diversification that is essential in being a business professional today. Mark. I challenge you to a code duel to keep our skills improving. Are you in?
Ha! Nope, I'm not in. I'm staying focused. Lots of people in your position though. I'm sure you'll find someone else to challenge
Hey Mark, thanks for sharing your epiphany. I too looked at the Code Academy opportunity, but questioned whether learning or in my case updating my ancient coding skills would provide me with any tangible benefit. I don't think you have to be able to read music or play an instrument, to appreciate the capabilities of a good musician or composer. And as many of the other posts indicated, focusing on strengths is a much better use of time (Marcus Buckingham has written a great series of business books on this).
So, instead of signing up for Code Academy, I signed up for Steve Blank's Lean Launchpad course http://www.launchpad-class.org. A number of us founders, angels, and startup junkies have formed a group and are going to collaboratively work through the course together.
As for NOT Bob Saget, I would recommend that he (or she) sign up for a course on critical thinking.
Thanks Paul. Launchpad looks great!
Terrible post. You're just creating a story to tell yourself so that you don't feel bad if you fail @ CodeYear. Weak Mark MacLeon. . . very weak. Instead you should be preaching that everyone (including you) should put aside a couple minutes every day to capitalize on this wonderful opportunity presented by the good folks at CodeAcademy, for FREE! P.S. Your music isn't getting good feedback either and yet you still produce it . . . what gives ?
Thought abut deleting this. Too bad you felt the need to be rude and unprofessional. I never said code year was too hard. But I won't fool myself into thinking that I can be a developer doing it. And it's not my place to be one. I have other roles to play in the life of a startup
You did a smart thing not deleting that post . Doing so would have cost you 3 RSS subscribers. Stay neutral, stay popular. Start censoring, stop mattering.
Great post Mark
Not going to repeat what's been said here but to all non-tech entrepreneurs, if you can't code, don't spend your time learning how, takes years to be any good at it. Always lots to do in a startup that doesn't require coding. Talking to customers comes to mind.
Cheers,
Talking to customers! Yep, that sounds like a great thing to do. So many non coding things to be done.
Mark, I agree. "I think we all could do less" and sometimes we should simply do nothing. If "less is more" then "nothing is everything". There's a lot of value taking personal daily moments for ourselves and unplugging our wires. Doing nothing for a while seems like a WASTE to a lot of entrepreneurs. Au contraire you GAIN freedom and objectivity, which are key when you try to figure our whether you should "start something new" or not.
Totally agree Armand. My wife has been encouraging me to find time for daily meditation. She does this and is a huge advocate. Have not got there myself yet
Great. You should give it a try. I'm a practitioner. From contemplation comes inspiration.
Awesome post Mark! Takes me to a more holistic way of thinking. My health and all natural product business is based on "doing less" and the "less is more" approach. Quality and potency are key to great success, health, and happiness. Aaah…the simplicity of life, keeps us whole and grounded : )
Holistic is a key word for me. Good luck with your business!
One of the joys of being an entrepreneur is the opportunity for learning in lots of different disciplines. One of the frustrations? Realizing you can't do it all… Good post!
Well said Genevieve
I'm a non-technical founder. When everybody was tweeting and buzzing about Code Academy right around Jan. 1, I drank the kool-aid and signed up for the beta. As a non-technical founder, I have a bit of an inferiority complex around my inability to code. So naturally, Code Academy sounded like the perfect solution!
But after some sober second thought, 3 things occurred to me:
1. My not coding isn't due to a lack of available resources or tutorials. On the contrary, there are a ton, and I could pick those up at anytime if I was motivated to do so. Not sure I need Code Academy to help me to learn how to code – at best, it seems like a boot in the ass to keep me on it. Bringing me to the next point…
2. I don't *need* to learn how to code. Any founding team worth its salt will have somebody to own this portfolio, and I'm lucky enough to have a very talented technical cofounder that ensures that I don't need to code, just like I ensure he doesn't need to worry about cap tables, biz dev, sales, etc.
3. If I got a meeting to pitch the StartupCFO and came into his office as a non-technical founder professing my love of Code Academy, he'd probably count that as a strike *against* me! He'd probably tell me to cease desist immediately, and f-o-c-u-s on the things that I bring to the table. And rightfully so.
Maybe the Code Academy use case isn't applicable to me, and that's fine. There's a new generation of kids that could probably derive value from it. But seeing all the tweets from VCs/early adopters around Jan. 1 endorse it sure tricked me for a minute into thinking it was something of value to me.
Hey Jesse,
Love it! Leave the coding to your partners and keep rocking your stuff.
Mark
Great post Mark. We need to focus on our strengths and then surround ourselves with talented people to fill in the rest.
Thanks Jocelyn. That's a good way of looking at it. Yes, focus on your strengths!