Elad Gil

Principles are our summary of their public statements.

• Align Approach with End Goal

  Decisions

  Ensure the current product strategy is a direct path to the ultimate business goal rather than a detour requiring separate success.

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Startups Miracles, 2012  (opens in a new tab)

• Geography still matters for clusters

  Strategy

  Despite remote work trends, high-value startups continue to aggregate in specific industry-towns like SF for AI or NY for Fintech.

  Supporting quotes

  • “We view dispersion of market cap across many companies as a broader signal of startup ecosystem health.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Prioritize Ease of Integration

  Product

  For infrastructure products, success depends heavily on ease of use, uptime, and cost-effectiveness to prevent customers from switching.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The 3 Types Of Platform Companies, 2015  (opens in a new tab)

• Value Optionality Over Consistency

  Career

  Seek roles that open doors to new industries or functions instead of repeating the same work in the same field.

  Supporting quotes

  • “I view this as the most important thing to optimize for in a job. Network includes both who you work with, and for, day to day.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Prioritize Equity in Great Companies

  Wealth

  Focus on owning a piece of a high-potential company because long-term equity value far outweighs short-term salary differences.

  Supporting quotes

  • “I view this as the most important thing to optimize for in a job. Network includes both who you work with, and for, day to day.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Quantify performance through ranking

  Hiring

  Ask references to rank the candidate against others they have worked with to get a clearer sense of their actual productivity level.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Reference Check Candidates, 2013  (opens in a new tab)

• Hire Athletes Over Specialists

  Hiring

  Prioritize hiring brilliant generalists who can adapt to new platforms quickly rather than specialists with narrow experience in a specific mobile technology.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source 5 Myths To Building Awesome Mobile Team, 2010  (opens in a new tab)

• Watch for non-tech sector shifts

  Strategy

  Traditional industries often acquire tech startups to adapt to new distribution platforms and technological innovations like AI.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Its M Time Ipos Return In 2018, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

• Understand fund return math

  Fundraising

  Entrepreneurs must realize that large funds need massive exits to meet their internal rate of return targets for their own investors.

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Vc Economics Why Your 50 Million Exit, 2010  (opens in a new tab)

• Prioritize Customers as Primary Stakeholders

  Strategy

  A company should define itself as a performance-based culture where the customer's needs take precedence over internal political discourse.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source A Return To Company Core Mission, 2024  (opens in a new tab)

• Restrict Official Channels to Work

  Management

  Leaders should prohibit political discourse on official communication tools like Slack to prevent distraction and respect those who do not wish to participate.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source A Return To Company Core Mission, 2024  (opens in a new tab)

• Act During Windows of Calm

  Decisions

  The best time to implement cultural shifts or new boundaries is during periods of relative calm between major external political events.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source A Return To Company Core Mission, 2024  (opens in a new tab)

• Recognize the Bittersweet Success of M&A

  Strategy

  Selling a company provides stability for employees and returns for investors, marking a moment where a founder can finally relax.

  Supporting quotes

  • “Many first-time founders of managers tend to fight delegating to others. Or they promote "smart, junior athletes" to run a function like engineering or sales and watch them flounder”

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

• The split payment method

  Negotiation

  Pay a small portion of a contractor's rate out of pocket now and the remainder at a higher rate once the company is funded.

  Supporting quotes

  • “One way to be able to hire someone but not raise money is to effectively raise debt from the people who want to work for you.”

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

• Avoid building for one-sided markets

  Product

  Products that only solve the problem for one side of a two-sided market, like dating, will fail if they ignore the incentives of the other side.

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

  Source 6 Startup Ideas Every Nerd Has, 2010  (opens in a new tab)

• Question gamification as a silver bullet

  Product

  Adding badges and gaming mechanics to an industry does not automatically revolutionize it if the underlying value proposition is weak.

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

  Source 6 Startup Ideas Every Nerd Has, 2010  (opens in a new tab)

• Strategic Direction Through M&A

  Strategy

  Large acquisitions can signal a company's willingness to bet big on a completely new strategic direction.

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Companies Who Will Buy Companies In, 2010  (opens in a new tab)