Pair interviewing isn’t just for devs, it’s also great for UX and product

Giff Constable startups, UI/UX

I just wound down a project where I spent 6 months working hand-in-hand with Pivotal Labs, the respected agile/XP dev shop. It was a fabulous experience that had a strong impact on how I think about product development (more on that later). It also has changed how I interview product and UX people. Pivotal helped our mutual client interview developer …

It’s Not A Passion Deficit

Giff Constable startups

I had to respond to a post NY angel investor Mark Birch recently wrote called Entrepreneurship and the Passion Deficit. He claims that “the number one reason startups fail is because there is no passion!” Mark’s a smart guy, but in this case, I totally disagree. For 17 years, I’ve been buried in the startup scene, working in Austin, the …

Is there a quality chasm in fashion startups?

Giff Constable technology

There are a number of startups in the broader “fashion” category getting funded with versions of a subscription model.  At first glance, these things seem pretty cool — pay an affordable, regular amount and you get sent something nice each month, ideally somewhat personalized to your tastes. Send it back if you hate it! A consistent trend is also to …

Focus. There is no but.

Giff Constable management, startups

Jordan Cooper, a bright NYC entrepreneur and investor, just wrote a post called “If you’re building for $1B, is “Focus” a Farce?” He writes: “I find myself wondering if changes in the product development lifecycle are not giving birth to a new type of non-bootstrapped operation/execution that is more forgiving of experimentation at the expense of focus (think extension of …

Forget how many angels fit on a pin

Giff Constable startups

I’ve been enjoying my lurk on the lean startup circle google group, but I’ve noticed a recurring attempt to definitively define what “lean startup” is and isn’t. I understand the desire to insert some sense of certainty in our uncertain world, but argue against it. It is a waste of time to argue over which tactics qualify as lean startup …

The New York Startup Scene

Giff Constable startups

As someone who has done startups in New York, Silicon Valley & San Fran, and Austin, I find the topic of location very interesting.  Fred Wilson and Chris Dixon just gave a talk at  Clickable (embedded below) on why the New York startup scene is special, and I had a few reactions: New York would benefit from a better, more …