EC Column – Page 2

3 tips for managing a remote engineering team • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 9, 2022Posted in Column, EC Column, EC Future of Work, EC How To, remote work, remote working, StartupsNo Comments

Kuan Wei (Greg) Soh is a technology entrepreneur and angel investor who enjoys building world-class technology teams. Previously, he worked in financial services, the hedge fund industry and at high-growth startups. Remote work is not for every business and it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. When my co-founder and I decided to build a distributed engineering team for our startup, numerous questions raced through our minds: Will they be productive? How will decisions be made? How do we keep the culture alive? Today, we manage a remote team of about a dozen engineers, and we’ve learned quite a bit along the way. Here are some tips we hope you find effective. These are probably applicable to earlier-stage startups and less so for larger organizations. Pair programming In an office setting, employees have ample opportunities to interact with colleagues, and these conversations organically create a sense of authenticity. But in a remote work setting, there is no such privilege. Some of our founder friends have used services to monitor or micromanage their employees during work hours, but we feel this is unproductive and antithetical to building a positive culture. The introduction of pair programming, an agile software development technique where two engineers simultaneously work on the same issue, fosters collaboration and creates opportunities for developers to have conversations as they would in an office pantry. We try to pair two programmers for a sustained period of time (about 10 weeks) before considering a rotation or switch. Some may argue that pair programming is a waste of time on the basis that if each individual can produce X output, then it makes sense to produce twice that output by having each of them work on separate problems. We find this view limiting. Firstly, pair programming results in higher quality, since two brains are generally better than one. When engineering systems are incredibly complex, having a thoughtful “sanity checker” is almost always a good idea, as this prevents mediocre decisions and helps thwart downstream problems, which can be time-consuming to resolve in the future. In my experience, it also leads to faster problem resolutions. To elucidate this point, if problems can be solved in half the time, then in the same time frame, the output of two programmers working as a pair will still be 2x.

Here’s what founders and executives need to focus on • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 8, 2022Posted in Column, downturn, EC Column, EC How To, Mergers and Acquisitions, StartupsNo Comments

Matt Armanino Contributor Matt Armanino serves as the CEO of national consulting and accounting firm Armanino, where he focuses on driving firmwide growth and innovation. Recent economic headlines have been dominated by the declining stock market, rampant inflation and widespread talk of recession. At Armanino, we use the term “VUCA” to describe such broadly adverse market conditions. Standing for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, VUCA illustrates the many challenges currently facing business owners and operators. Times like these can separate well-run companies from those with directional or operational flaws. Forward-looking owners and C-suite executives who provide strong direction are more likely to steer their companies through the storm. Facing a sea of challenges, leaders have clear opportunities to implement critical changes and prepare for better times ahead. As a business owner and CEO, anticipating and managing through VUCA is a constant focus for me. We have helped thousands of companies — ranging from seed-round startups and late-stage unicorns to mature public companies — navigate it by implementing practices that can allow them to survive and thrive. Having helped build a startup and gone under the hood with many unicorns over the past few decades, I’ve seen how some of the best founders and executives position their companies in times of stress to flourish on the other side, whether through a successful IPO, SPAC exit or just stable growth. It might seem counterintuitive, but the ability of AI to assess the quality of client relationships can actually help companies become more “human.” As I look back on what these businesses have done to succeed, my best tips for company leaders encountering VUCA now are to empower their operations, invest in digital transformation and seek M&A opportunities. Empower operations to capitalize on better market conditions in the future Companies are increasingly focused on running their businesses better during adverse market conditions so they can come out stronger when the economic environment improves. In some cases, companies that had been targeting IPOs or funding transactions for 2022 are now postponing until Q1 or Q2 of 2023, if not later. Empowering operations includes understanding and communicating relevant metrics. First, does your team grasp the metrics on which success is based for your company? Second, do your employees understand those numbers and how to impact them? When times are tough, everyone in the organization should understand the most important metrics and how to potentially improve them so they can better recognize what to do and why their roles matter. We’ve also noticed companies increasingly emphasizing the idea of reaching a cash-flow-positive state. In the past, a “revenue at all costs” approach often took precedence. But now it’s more about identifying the best revenue and focusing on how to manage costs to achieve some level of cash-flow positivity or at least a clear trajectory toward it. During lucrative times, companies have historically focused on growing top-line revenue by aggressively adding new accounts. During a downturn, it’s critical to be laser-focused on your most engaged customers and invest in building deeper relationships with less steady clients. Businesses should take a closer look at key accounts to analyze relationship strength and work to bolster these relationships. In fact, many companies are now hiring more account managers instead of salespeople to improve client relations and promote additional services to paying customers. Invest in digital transformation to make your data actionable If becoming cash-flow positive and developing deeper client relationships are important goals, then focusing on technology and digital transformation is vital. Businesses need to assess how they can become more efficient with their infrastructure and leverage more valuable information from their data collection.

How can I stay in the US if I’ve been laid off? • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 7, 2022Posted in Column, Dear Sophie, EC Column, EC DEI, Government & Policy, immigration law, Sophie Alcorn, Startups, tech layoffs, Verified Expert - lawyerNo Comments

Sophie Alcorn Contributor Sophie Alcorn is the founder of Alcorn Immigration Law in Silicon Valley and 2019 Global Law Experts Awards’ “Law Firm of the Year in California for Entrepreneur Immigration Services.” She connects people with the businesses and opportunities that expand their lives. More posts by this contributor Dear Sophie: How can students work or launch a startup while maintaining their immigration status? Dear Sophie: How can early-stage startups improve their chances of getting H-1Bs? Here’s another edition of “Dear Sophie,” the advice column that answers immigration-related questions about working at technology companies. “Your questions are vital to the spread of knowledge that allows people all over the world to rise above borders and pursue their dreams,” says Sophie Alcorn, a Silicon Valley immigration attorney. “Whether you’re in people ops, a founder or seeking a job in Silicon Valley, I would love to answer your questions in my next column.” ZebethMedia+ members receive access to weekly “Dear Sophie” columns; use promo code ALCORN to purchase a one- or two-year subscription for 50% off. Dear Sophie, I was laid off and I’m on an H-1B. I have enough savings to survive for a while. What should I do if I have been let go from my job? I am on an H-1B, have an approved I-140, and an I-797 that expires in March 2024. If I have to leave the U.S., can my current I-797 be transferred to my next employer? Are there any issues I should be aware of? — Upended & Unemployed Dear Upended, I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been laid off, and the stress this has no doubt added to your life! Your questions are top of mind in light of the thousands of others being laid off from Twitter, Facebook, Stripe, Brex, Lyft, and other tech companies. I realize this can be an incredibly stressful time. It is my personal life mission to help immigrants to have peace of mind, including being able to stay in the United States, keep their families safe, and build their dreams of making the world a better place. I am so happy to have the opportunity to share my advice through this column! The good news is U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) allows a 60-day grace period to remain in the U.S. if you lose your job while on an E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1, O-1, or TN visa. And we can turn your 60-day grace period into a total of eight months of immigration runway — it is possible to extend your time in the U.S. beyond 60 days by filing a change of status from H-1B to another category such as a visitor, student, or dependent spouse. When individuals who need visa sponsorship get laid off, we often hear their highest priority is to maintain their ability to stay in the United States beyond the 60-day grace period, especially if they own a home, have a spouse, or have dependent kids in school. Often people ask me what they need to do if they can’t get a job that offers visa sponsorship within the 60-day grace period or how they can finally follow their heart to explore their own startup ideas. Here are my recommendations for how to stay in the United States, as well as options and opportunities you should keep in mind. To work for another company, start interviewing NOW! Unfortunately, you cannot transfer your current I-797 to your next employer. However, you can transfer your H-1B to your new employer following the H-1B application process. If you are approved, you will receive a new I-797. Put all of your efforts into finding another job. Get as many interviews as you can. Reach out to everyone in your network — friends, family, former colleagues, co-workers, neighbors, and acquaintances. Take advantage of social media and attend networking events. Also, take a look at where venture capital is flowing these days; companies that are receiving Series A funding or above are likely hiring. At a job interview, be direct about your need to transfer your H-1B to a new employer. If the company is not willing to sponsor you, move on. Ideally, you should accept a job offer no more than 45 days into your 60-day grace period unless you have applied for another fallback status because it can take several weeks to prepare and file the H-1B transfer. Additionally, if you qualify for an O-1A extraordinary ability visa, you could consider using an agent to file an O-1A petition on your behalf, which would make your visa independent of any particular employer. This offers you both redundancy because you can change or add paid jobs in the United States without amending the petition every time, generally, as long as you are continuing to work in your field. To work for your own startup, start NOW! If you want to create your own tech venture, find someone you can work with to be your co-founder. Find out if you qualify for an O-1A ASAP or determine if you want to set up your startup to be compatible with an H-1B transfer. Talk with both an immigration attorney and a corporate attorney to devise the best structure for your startup and determine an immigration strategy for your startup to sponsor you for a visa. For many people, if they qualify, I suggest that your startup sponsor you for an O-1A, which offers more flexibility and freedom than an H-1B transfer. Many individuals on an H-1B visa in Silicon Valley and beyond are surprised when we tell them they already qualify for an O-1A. The added benefit of the O-1A is that it serves as a stepping stone to qualify for the EB-1A extraordinary ability green card, which is currently available. Devise a backup plan Have a backup plan and work with an immigration attorney to assess your options. You could transfer your H-1B, become an H-4 dependent visa holder if your spouse has an H-1B,

2023 will be the year of cyber-risk quantification • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 7, 2022Posted in Column, cyber risk quantification, cybersecurity, EC Column, EC Cybersecurity, Security, StartupsNo Comments

CRQ is the hottest thing in cybersecurity right now John Chambers Contributor John Chambers is the founder and CEO of JC2 Ventures. Previously, he served as executive chairman and CEO of Cisco. Geopolitical tensions, supply chain challenges, an economic slowdown, an ongoing pandemic and more have meant that companies and people have been impacted in ways that will change how business will be conducted for many years to come, and the ripple effects of these converging variables will be felt for a long time. As headlines continue to be dominated by increasing interest rates, businesses must ensure their budget is being spent efficiently. But despite the economic downturn, the cybersecurity and AI industries have grown steadily over the past 18 months or so. Cybersecurity is critical to businesses’ revenue, growth, reputation and overall function. But are we doing everything to manage the level of risk that exists in our hyperconnected world, or is there a missing link? Cybersecurity is growing more crucial every year A Nasdaq report suggests that 14 market days after a breach becomes public, the average share price of a company bottoms out and underperforms by -3.5% on the stock exchange. An even more alarming data point is that businesses accrue more than 50% of post-breach damages as long-tail costs. More specifically, 31% of expenses are accrued in the second year, and 24% are accrued more than two years after the breach in highly regulated industries. Still, 29% of CEOs and CISOs and 40% of Chief Security Officers admit their organizations are unprepared for the rapidly changing threat landscape.

Is the modern data stack just old wine in a new bottle? • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 4, 2022Posted in cloud infrastructure, Column, data observability, data stack, EC Cloud and Enterprise Infrastructure, EC Column, EC Enterprise Applications, Enterprise, StartupsNo Comments

Ashish Kakran Contributor Ashish Kakran, principal at Thomvest Ventures, is a product manager/engineer turned investor who enjoys supporting founders with a balance of technical know-how, customer insights, empathy with challenges and market knowledge. More posts by this contributor Here’s where MLOps is accelerating enterprise AI adoption Remember the cable, phone and internet combo offers that used to land in our mailboxes? These offers were highly optimized for conversion, and the type of offer and the monthly price could vary significantly between two neighboring houses or even between condos in the same building. I know this because I used to be a data engineer and built extract-transform-load (ETL) data pipelines for this type of offer optimization. Part of my job involved unpacking encrypted data feeds, removing rows or columns that had missing data, and mapping the fields to our internal data models. Our statistics team then used the clean, updated data to model the best offer for each household. That was almost a decade ago. If you take that process and run it on steroids for 100x larger datasets today, you’ll get to the scale that midsized and large organizations are dealing with today. Each step of the data analysis process is ripe for disruption. For example, a single video conferencing call can generate logs that require hundreds of storage tables. Cloud has fundamentally changed the way business is done because of the unlimited storage and scalable compute resources you can get at an affordable price. To put it simply, this is the difference between old and modern stacks: Image Credits: Ashish Kakran, Thomvest Ventures Why do data leaders today care about the modern data stack? Self-service analytics Citizen-developers want access to critical business dashboards in real time. They want automatically updating dashboards built on top of their operational and customer data. For example, the product team can use real-time product usage and customer renewal data for decision-making. Cloud makes data truly accessible to everyone, but there is a need for self-service analytics compared to legacy, static, on-demand reports and dashboards.

Tips for e-commerce startups that want to win market share this holiday season • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 3, 2022Posted in black friday, Column, Commerce, EC Column, EC Ecommerce and D2C, EC How To, holiday shopping, StartupsNo Comments

Guru Hariharan Contributor Guru Hariharan is CEO and founder of CommerceIQ, an e-commerce management company. For consumers, the holiday season means indulging in gifts, family traditions and festive celebrations. But for retail businesses, it’s the most critical time of the year. We’re seeing a gathering storm of economic conditions — inflation, inventory and supply chain issues, and an elongated holiday season — that has companies scrambling to determine the right e-commerce strategy for the holiday season. Retail e-commerce channels such as Amazon, Walmart and Instacart, where a majority of all e-commerce happens, will be the real holiday battlefront. The key to succeed this year will be flexibility, responsiveness and endurance: Companies will have to be ready to respond to the market and the consumer throughout the season. Following two years when e-commerce enjoyed pandemic tailwinds, consumers are now living with inflation and an unofficial recession, and we can expect more selective and price-conscious shopping behavior. While prices across major retail e-commerce marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart and Target have mostly kept pace with inflation, consumers are feeling the squeeze on their everyday essential purchases. According to CommerceIQ data based on thousands of products across 450+ online retailers, grocery and home and kitchen prices have risen about 20% on average over last year, far outpacing inflation. The average shopper has to focus more of their budget on essentials, leaving them less to spend on gifts and other discretionary purchases. Place as many inventory orders as possible early so that you have inventory before the holiday season begins. However, unemployment has remained low so far, and consumer spending has been resilient, which we can see in the continued strength of online shopping. For instance, in Q2 2022, e-commerce growth has already rebounded to 9% at Target, 12% at Walmart and 10% at Amazon in North America. On top of this shift in value, the holiday shopping season is kicking off earlier this year, spurred by the second Amazon Prime Day in October. Other retailers will follow suit in an attempt to capture the spending of price-conscious consumers as they plan ahead for the holidays. What does this mean for brands? The focus must be on endurance and companies will need to be ready to shift their strategy for discounting, inventory planning and ad and marketing spend as the environment changes, all while fending off potential consumer fatigue. Increase discounts while balancing profitability Discounting has taken a back seat over the past couple of years, largely thanks to consumers’ lockdown savings and stimulus checks, but that is set to change this year. Promotions and discounts have been on the rise throughout 2022, and Amazon Prime Day was a great indicator of what could come in the holiday season. According to CommerceIQ data, during Prime Day 2022, discount levels for items on sale rose 10% to 12% compared to Prime Day 2021. The trend will likely continue at other major retailers as we head into the holidays. While companies and retailers will look to increase promotions and discounts throughout the season, the majority of promotions will still occur during specific sales like Black Friday and Cyber Monday rather than broadly across the season as consumers hold out for the best deals. There is an opportunity to further eventize promotional events like Cyber Week to capture greater volume, but getting discount levels wrong could lead to big hits to profitability. Companies that go into the season with excess inventory could face a perfect storm that eats into the bottom line. Prices continue to rise leading into 2022 holidays, but discounts have yet to pick up. Image Credits: CommerceIQ Here are some principles companies should keep in mind when planning e-commerce promotional strategies for the holiday season:

6 key metrics that can help SaaS startups outlast this downturn • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 3, 2022Posted in Column, EC Cloud and Enterprise Infrastructure, EC Column, EC How To, Enterprise, enterprise saas, growth tactics, SaaS management, StartupsNo Comments

Sudheesh Nair Contributor Sudheesh Nair is CEO of ThoughtSpot, a business intelligence company that has built an intuitive Google-like interface for data analytics. Before ThoughtSpot, Sudheesh was president at Nutanix. More posts by this contributor A blueprint for building a great startup founding team With the economy slowing and businesses tightening their belts, the coming months will be make or break for many startups. Business is shifting from a “growth at all costs” mindset to one that is more measured. This means leaders need to know where to conserve cash, where to target spend effectively and which customers are at risk of churn so they can take proactive steps accordingly. SaaS companies are in a better position than most because they have access to the data that can guide these decisions. They inherently know not only that a customer bought a product, but who is using it, how they’re using it and how often. Management teams should pay close attention to this data for signs of changing customer behavior and watch their sales pipeline for clues about where to target spend and where to cut costs. At a high level, leaders need to understand — before it becomes obvious — if the slowdown this year is affecting demand at their company and where that’s happening. The goal is to pick up on warning signs early and course-correct as you go, and those signs are often hidden in the breadcrumbs. Do you know what your customers are thinking? Not all industries are affected equally, so don’t assume your customers will cut spending this year just because the headlines are bleak. When thinking about metrics for SaaS companies, it’s helpful to look at how current customers are using your product so you can identify areas of concern and take action. You should also read the tea leaves in your pipeline to understand where to cut back and where to invest. Every CFO is looking closely at contracts to evaluate areas for cost-cutting. Only those technologies offering real value will survive, so SaaS vendors need to get ahead of this. Traditional customer satisfaction metrics like NPS are a lagging indicator and will not help you respond quickly enough. Instead, look at the following areas to be more proactive: How much are customers using your product? You can measure usage trends with points of access, number of registered users, volume of queries or some other metric depending on your product. The point is, as a SaaS company, you should not have to guess who is using your product, when, why, how much and if that’s changing. Say you have a customer that logs in and uses your product 10 times a day, and that number hasn’t increased over the last year. It’s a sign they are not adding new use cases and creating new value.

How can students work or launch a startup while maintaining their immigration status? • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 2, 2022Posted in Column, Dear Sophie, EC Column, EC DEI, F-1 visa, Government & Policy, immigration law, Sophie Alcorn, Startups, Verified Expert - lawyerNo Comments

Sophie Alcorn Contributor Sophie Alcorn is the founder of Alcorn Immigration Law in Silicon Valley and 2019 Global Law Experts Awards’ “Law Firm of the Year in California for Entrepreneur Immigration Services.” She connects people with the businesses and opportunities that expand their lives. More posts by this contributor Dear Sophie: How can early-stage startups improve their chances of getting H-1Bs? Dear Sophie: How can I launch a startup while on OPT? Here’s another edition of “Dear Sophie,” the advice column that answers immigration-related questions about working at technology companies. “Your questions are vital to the spread of knowledge that allows people all over the world to rise above borders and pursue their dreams,” says Sophie Alcorn, a Silicon Valley immigration attorney. “Whether you’re in people ops, a founder or seeking a job in Silicon Valley, I would love to answer your questions in my next column.” ZebethMedia+ members receive access to weekly “Dear Sophie” columns; use promo code ALCORN to purchase a one- or two-year subscription for 50% off. Dear Sophie, I’m studying bioinformatics at a university in the U.S. What options do I have to work before and after graduation on my student visa? Do any of these options allow me to launch my own startup? — Wanting to Work Dear Wanting, I applaud your enthusiasm to get to work! The opportunity to work and get training in your field is one of the draws of studying in the U.S. Complex immigration rules and regulations for international students — not to mention processing delays and time limits — can make things challenging, but all you need is a little planning to overcome those challenges! Your ability to work in your area of study — and for how long — depends on what type of student visa you hold: F-1 student visa. J-1 educational and cultural exchange visa. M-1 student visa. F-1 offers the most flexible work options Image Credits: Joanna Buniak / Sophie Alcorn (opens in a new window) The F-1 student visa offers the most options for working both before you graduate and after. Two types of training programs are available to most international students who hold an F-1 visa, making them eligible to work in their field of study: Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is available to students at some colleges and universities. Optional Practical Training (OPT) is available either before or after graduation. STEM OPT is a 24-month extension of OPT available to students who graduated with a STEM degree designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Working under CPT If CPT is available at a university or college, then students on F-1 visas are eligible if they have been enrolled full time for at least one academic year and have not yet graduated. Some graduate programs allow or even require students to apply for CPT at the very beginning of their program.

For immigrant founders in the UK, office hours with VCs are rocket fuel • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 2, 2022Posted in Column, EC Column, EC DEI, EC Europe, investors, professional networking, Startups, United Kingdom, VentureNo Comments

Lyubov Guk is a founding partner at Blue Lake VC. She supports early-stage international founders working in the U.K. Robyn Klingler-Vidra Contributor Robyn Klingler-Vidra is associate dean of global engagement and associate professor in entrepreneurship and sustainability at King’s Business School. Juanita Gonzalez-Uribe Contributor All three of us are immigrants to the U.K. We were each greeted with the classic “catch-22” of trying to open a bank account and finding a place to live: To get a bank account, you need an address, but to rent a flat, you need a bank account. This is just one of the (very minor) points of friction immigrants face when moving to a new country. Entrepreneurs who set up a business in a new country encounter more challenges. Lyubov’s own experiences as a Ukrainian immigrant in the U.K. gave her both great empathy for the trials immigrant founders face, and the belief that immigrants often make and build world-leading businesses. Beyond personal experiences, academic research seems to point to an almost inverse relationship between the contributions immigrant founders make and early acceptance by the ecosystem. Designing an international founders open office hours pilot With personal experience as her motivation, Lyubov piloted a program that would offer a softer landing for immigrant entrepreneurs in the U.K. The pilot was an “International Founders Open Office Hours” program that would help immigrant founders boost their social networks and local know-how by meeting with VCs in the U.K. Instead of the usual pitch format, the meetings were informal conversations that aimed to help founders build up this essential — and for immigrants, missing — social capital. The program was inspired by Playfair Capital and its Female Founders Office Hours. The initial start was rocky, as it coincided with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Lyubov and her Blue Lake partner, David Gilgur, were helping families and friends in Ukraine by day and drafting the program plan by night. Early on, there was the challenge of bringing VCs and partners on board. Blue Lake had been active for a few years but was still a new name in the investment ecosystem. Asking for investors’ time meant that we had to prove we could launch something impactful that key players would want to be a part of.

6 reasons why you shouldn’t join an accelerator • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 31, 2022Posted in accelerators, Column, EC Column, EC venture capital, startup accelerators, Startups, TechStars, VentureNo Comments

Saba Karim is director of the startup pipeline at Techstars. As the head of startup pipeline at Techstars, I’ve been getting on calls with founders, attending events, speaking on stages like ZebethMedia’s Disrupt and hosting countless Twitter Spaces. Each time, I’ve been telling founders why they should join an accelerator. Now, I am changing things up and going to lay out six reasons you shouldn’t join an accelerator. If you only need funding You’re better off going to VCs, angel investors, crowdfunding, applying for grants or seeking venture debt. Accelerators usually take more (equity), because they provide more than just money. They give you funding and fundraising opportunities, mentorship and networks, workshops and usually a place to work. If you don’t need any of that, then you don’t need an accelerator. Accelerators are great because they’re a forcing mechanism to reach your most desired outcome by the end of the program, but no one is going to drag you out of bed every morning. Keep in mind that funding will solve your money problems, but it won’t solve everything else. You’ll still need to figure out how to acquire customers, find the best talent, build an incredible product, assemble a great advisory board and get to product-market fit. Do you just need funding? Lucky you. For crowdfunding, you can’t go wrong with Republic or WeFunder. For venture debt options, check out SVB or Mercury, and OpenGrants for, well, grants. To do customer development Customer development, also known as customer discovery or idea validation, is the notion of validating your startup idea. You don’t need an accelerator to tell you to talk to your customers. You should be doing it anyway. Otherwise, why are you building the thing you want to build? Yes, many accelerators accept companies at the idea stage, but it’s usually on the premise that primary or secondary research has been conducted to show you’re building something people have said they would use and/or pay for.