This document provides lessons and tips for starting a company from Sophie-Charlotte Moatti, an experienced founder and product leader. Her top lessons are to #1 get a co-founder to help lead the company, #2 explore many potential business ideas before committing to one, and #3 iterate the product and business model quickly through minimal viable products. She emphasizes the importance of managing resources carefully, reaching beyond the founding team for support and expertise, focusing on building quality products and engagement funnels, and maintaining a work-life balance to sustain the long-term challenges of founding a company.

1. So, you want to
start a company…
Sophie-Charlotte Moatti, Founder, sc@productsthatcount.com

2. Sophie-Charlotte Moatti, Founder, sc@productsthatcount.com
• Emmy-nominated mobile consumer
products used by billions of people
• Founder of Products That Count, think
tank on mobile, innovation & leadership
• Product leader @ Facebook, Founder @
RndVoo, GM @ Nokia
+ Stanford MBA + MS in EE
• linkedin.com/in/scmoatti, @scmoatti,
facebook.com/scmoatti
About me

3. Sophie-Charlotte Moatti, Founder, sc@productsthatcount.com
• Don’t do this alone
• Team > Sum (people)
• Network 24/7
• Meetups, alumni groups, etc.
• My tip to vet your co-founder:
• http://bit.ly/CoFounderQuiz
Lessons from the trenches
#1. Get a co-founder

4. Sophie-Charlotte Moatti, Founder, sc@productsthatcount.com
• Follow your passion
• Problems you like to solve
• Then, follow the money
• Big + must-solve problems
• My tip to pick an idea
• Keep an idea list
Lessons from the trenches
#2. Explore many opportunities

5. Sophie-Charlotte Moatti, Founder, sc@productsthatcount.com
• Take bold stands
• Disrupt first, compromise later
• Be VERY scrappy
• Shame on your prototype!
• My tip to launch your MVP
• Go live in 3 weeks max
Lessons from the trenches
#3. Iterate fast + cheap
5

6. Sophie-Charlotte Moatti, Founder, sc@productsthatcount.com
• Expect + manage conflict
• Teamwork is hard
• Target baby step results
• Time-box + negotiate features
• My tip to deliver against plan
• Use agile company-wide
Lessons from the trenches
#4. Manage resources carefully

7. Sophie-Charlotte Moatti, Founder, sc@productsthatcount.com
• Form an advisory board
• Target expertise + reputation
• Join an entrepreneur peer group
• Target openness + mentoring
• My tip to get leverage
• Befriend serial entrepreneurs
Lessons from the trenches
#5. Reach beyond your team

8. Sophie-Charlotte Moatti, Founder, sc@productsthatcount.com
• Differentiated + quality product
• From idea to market
• Large + engaged paid audience
• From product to business
• My tip to build a company
• Iterate your business model early
Lessons from the trenches
#6. It’s all about the funnel

9. Sophie-Charlotte Moatti, Founder, sc@productsthatcount.com
• Relax with orthogonal hobbies
• Get away to come back stronger
• Exercize A LOT
• Oxygen is good for the brain
• My tip to stay sane
• Life is long, there’s plenty of time!
Lessons from the trenches
#7. Keep your balance

10. Sophie-Charlotte Moatti, Founder, sc@productsthatcount.com
#1. Get a co-founder
#2. Explore many opportunities
#3. Iterate fast + cheap
#4. Manage resources carefully
#5. Reach beyond your team
#6. It’s all about the funnel
#7. Keep your balance
Lessons from the trenches
Recap
Good
luck!

11. Questions?
Sophie-Charlotte Moatti, Founder, sc@productsthatcount.com