On May 28th at 12:25am in the evening my wife gave birth to our second son, Quinn Alexander Yoskovitz. Mom and baby are at home, doing great.
Quinn was 7lbs 13oz.
I rarely get into things that are too personal on this blog, aside from the occasional anecdote, but a lot of people were awaiting this news and this is the best way to get it out there.
I’m thrilled, ecstatic and exhausted. You can expect scattered postings here for the next week or so but there’s a lot going on, and I’m working on plenty of ideas. So don’t disappear just yet…stay tuned…
In the meantime, some pictures I’ll share with you of our new arrival.
Evan Prodromou has dire warnings for anyone entertaining the thought.
“Employees end up working 80-hour weeks, typically for low or no pay and worthless stock options that never pay out. Guilty that living the “startup lifestyle” (work from home, come in late, have fun) has caused schedule or feature slips, they push themselves too hard at work, to the detriment of their health and home life.”
I completely understand what Evan is saying. And he’s not the only one. Plenty of people lament long work hours and stress in startup environments.
But is that so much different than other work environments?
Stressful work environments aren’t owned by startups
What about lawyers-in-training? Right out of school, they’re often thrust into a law practice working harder than any startup employee. And treated pretty roughly too. A friend of mine in New York was completely fused to her BlackBerry. Days, nights, weekends, holidays, it made absolutely no difference. She’d be called in at a moment’s notice. She’d miss family events, friend’s weddings and other important life “stuff” for work. And she wasn’t alone.
What about medical residents? Ask Tony Hung what 36-hours straight of work in a hospital feels like.
And big businesses aren’t immune to slave driving either. EA Sports is a classic example. A couple years ago (if I remember correctly) there was a huge hubbub with them and the game industry overall about how employees were treated. And companies like IBM aren’t clocking people in “easy does it” 9-5 every day. Most of my IBM friends work longer hours than I do.
Startups can be different
There’s no shortage of examples beyond startups where people are overworked, stressed to the max and sacrificing. That doesn’t make it right, but the magnifying glass is often pointed specifically at startups as hostile work environments.
As well, I don’t think my reasons for working at a startup can be matched completely in other industries and jobs. Some of them yes, but all of them?
And startups don’t have to have ultra-stressful work environments. In other cases there’s less choice. Medical residents can’t switch hospitals to find a “more relaxed” work space. (Of course, they’re out there saving lives, I certainly recognize the difference in magnitude…)
With startups, you can diminish the stress level and the insane hours. I’ve seen it work. Yes, there are lots of “ifs” as Evan points out, but that’s what life is all about anyway…ifs.
I’ve seen the good and the bad
I’ve done my share of sleeping at the office, all-nighters, marathon work sessions…I’m sure there are more on the horizon, but within limits. When starting a company you choose the type of culture you want to create. And a significant part of that culture is tied to work environment, hours, stress levels and expectations. When joining a startup you need to really explore that work environment and culture, understand it as best you can, and see if it’s right for you.
You should know the risk so you can look for it and be prepared for it. But the risk is worth it. And the risk runs through lots of industries and businesses; you can’t hide from it just because you don’t join a startup.
A quick reminder: the next Montreal Tech Entrepreneur Breakfast is schedule for Tuesday, June 12th, 9am at Bistro, Etc.
I missed the last one, but I heard it was well-attended and worthwhile for everyone. I hope to see more people in June, including some new faces.
If you want to sign-up or see who else has signed up, visit the Montreal Tech Entrepreneur Breakfast Event page. Not everyone signs up - nor is it mandatory, but it’s a nice way of seeing who will be coming.
And please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. See you on June 12th.
Last week the Ultimate Guide to Productivity surpassed 100 submissions. These are productivity tips and ideas submitted by people from across the blogosphere in an effort to help others get more productive. Each person has their own unique twist on things, and in combination the Ultimate Guide to Productivity is an amazing resource.
The submissions keep coming. Here are 20 more productivity submissions, bringing the total to 129!
Feel free to contribute your own productivity tips, even if you weren’t tagged by someone to do so. You can start a new thread of this group writing project meme and share it with others.
Joining a startup company is a no-brainer. The pros far outweigh the cons. Whether you’re just graduating, or you’ve done your time “working for the man” now is the perfect time to make the jump.
Go work for a startup company.
Here are 10 reasons why:
More influence. With a smaller team, each person at a startup has more say. You should have more opportunity to voice your opinion and influence key decisions. And you want that, right?
More ownership. You might not be the founder, but you’re darn close. You should have some equity (or stock options.) Both a sense of ownership, and actual ownership are wonderful things; they’ll give you one more reason to work better and harder.
More meaning. The best startups are built on top of a strong purpose and vision; a raison d’etre that truly resonates. It’s a startup’s rallying cry and it provides other likeminded people with true meaning in their work.
More comraderie. Startup teams have to gel beautifully to succeed. Doesn’t mean you’ll always get along, but a little Saving Private Ryan never hurt anyone.
More diversity. There shouldn’t be much pigeonholing at a startup; you’re going to do and see a lot of different things. You will be thrown out of your comfort zone. You will get a chance to expand your horizons.
More learning. Startup environments are crash courses in business and life. You’ll learn more in 6 months at a startup than you will in 4 years at university.
More connectivity. With less (or zero) levels of bureaucracy, everyone is closer to one another. You should be well connected to your CEO as well as the network of customers, vendors, VCs, friends, etc. that surround the startup.
More emotion. Working at a startup isn’t a constant high. Far from it. But it is intense, and the emotional charge you’ll get on a regular basis is a worthwhile learning experience.
More future success. I don’t have any statistics to prove this, but I bet you that startup employees go on to bigger and better things. Whether it’s higher paying / more interesting jobs or starting their own companies, your resume and personal story benefit considerably from living the startup experience.
More fun. Startup employees have more fun. It’s just the way it is…
The job market for startup and early-stage companies is very strong. There’s no shortage of opportunity. Top talent can pick and choose amongst a slew of startups eager to hire. The risk is low.
Granted, not all startups are created equally. Not all startups may give you the benefits described above. You can’t dive in eyes closed and expect to find the perfect fit. Make sure you ask the right questions before joining a startup. Plenty of smart people have suggestions on the questions you should ask before joining a startup, so you shouldn’t have a problem being prepared.
Standout Jobs helps companies recruit efficiently and cost-effectively through well-branded, targeted recruitment micro-sites. The goal is to attract, engage and convert the right job seekers into applicants and hires by interacting and communicating more effectively with them.
