When I was in elementary/middle school, I struggled at math. New concepts would be hard to wrap my head around, I was slow to learn my multiplication tables, and I couldn’t easily memorize things. But while learning the material at the time was challenging, it would all of a sudden be a “no-brainer” in following years, as I was learning more advance topics. Except trigonometry. Screw that.
I’ve had the opportunity to speak in front of a number of different audiences recently, about various topics related to the startup journey. It was tough at first, admittedly, as I would mention a topic or term that “should” be obvious to any audience, only to be interrupted by the need for clarification or drilling in. It was a little confusing at first having to explain what an MVP is. Or define LTV or CAC.
Then I remembered my own math skills. Relative to what I’m working on now, the terms or concepts I was dropping on stage was 101-level learnings. But relative to where some of the participants where, this was new territory.
One thing we’re doing internally is starting to have a lot more educational sessions, both top-down and cross team. Engineers are demonstrating some of the basics of their craft – which they may have learned in 10th grade. Sales reps will show off some of their techniques, which will be foreign territory to anyone who’s never sold anything. The day after we closed our Series A, we had an hour long session with our team where I went over every startup of the fundraising process, and answered any question.
We believe that one of the best benefits we can provide to our team at Contactually is “the best business school possible.” With that it mind, I’ve learned that a big benefit to those around you is not making assumptions, and teaching them what you already know, however trivial it may seem.
