What Russian startups do not know well

Everyone knows that in Russia the best programmers. But in terms of the number (and quality) of startups, we are far behind.

We can and should be proud of our teams, including international recognition. But you need to give a report that in the USA there are many times more such teams.
')
There are, of course, objective reasons for this lag. The amount of money in Silicon Valley is much more than in the Russian Federation. In our country are not yet ready to seriously invest (with certain exceptions).

But I have identified four more qualities that American startups have, but often Russian ones lack. And the absence of these qualities seriously hinders the emergence of new IT companies in the vast expanses of our Motherland.

So, Russian startups do not know well:

1. Present your designs

Americans are taught from childhood to talk beautifully and express their thoughts correctly. They make reports, participate in disputes, choose class presidents. As a result, the average American goes to the professional life with the ability to clearly express their thoughts, speak beautifully and coherently.

Our programmers are talented, but often unsociable. They do not like the public and long communication. It’s easier for them to write a cool product than to make a decent presentation about it on 20 slides.

What to do? Learn to communicate, complementing the skills lost in childhood. Or at least cultivate them in less talented, but more socially active programmers, turning them into managers.

2. Interact with investors

Americans are used to investors, they understand their logic and rules of the game. They know that these are the kind of people / companies who came to make some money on them. It means that these investors need to show the potential of growth of the company's value.

(A small digression is needed here - American investors are set for long-term investments. Therefore, they do not expect instant profit or even a return on payback. Market share is more important for them and, as a result, the company's capitalization will increase. But when the company captures the market, it will be possible profitable to sell or come up with a model of monetization. Russian investors are not so “good”, they need profit on a fairly short horizon.)

Our startups often perceive investors as “wizards in blue helicopters” with a lot of money and are ready to tell them about their wonderful product. And investors want to hear the numbers. How the market share will be captured, the approximate volume of this potential market itself, the payback period, etc.

Unfortunately for our developers, they are not used to thinking in such categories.

What to do? Hire for the preparation of investment proposals and to communicate with investors external temporary consultants. Hires the same business freelance programmers.

3. Sell your products

Back in the 50s, the Americans had a saying “to make something simple, and you sell it!”. Crowded after the Great Depression, the markets dictated their rules. Since then, the main people in American companies are sellers and those who develop business. It is around them that all startups of the past and of our time are built. Wozniak was a technological genius, but Apple Computers "took off" thanks to Steve Jobs.

In our country, production has always been at the forefront. Initially, there was a recovery after the civil war, then industrialization, then a recovery after the Great Patriotic War, then a massive housing construction, an assault on space, a mass release of consumer goods. The demand was on its own, but talented engineers (such as Korolev) were always worth their weight in gold. this is why our startups are usually built around product creators who do not have enough experience to bring it to the market.

What to do? Programmers will have to call good sellers to the company and give them a voice in the management of the company. Well, or to grow out of yourself a universal personality at the level of Edison - perhaps the only successful inventor and merchant in one person.

4. Take care of your products.

For Americans, the main thing is not the product, but the financial result of the company. First of all, they are not creators, but businessmen. Perhaps the only exception was Steve Jobs, but for him the commercial result and the quality of the product were closely related. If for the case you need to change the product, cut off the functionality, stop the development altogether - the Americans will do it right there. Their programmers are more like craftsmen.

Our programmers are creators! Their products are their offspring. Something to change ??? Yes, they did not sleep nights, honing this functionality! Invite external developers ?? Yeah, so that they can get into the quality code with their own hands? Write some kind of block that sellers are asking for ?? Guys, I have not finished with a really beautiful thing, which may not bring money, but it is painfully interesting to realize!

What to do? Prioritize. Understand what you want - fame, money, or the feeling that this program is on the computers of thousands of people made by your hands. Want money - follow the wishes of marketers and sellers. Need moral satisfaction - follow the inspiration. Sometimes it even coincides.

In fact...

... everything is not so sad. Wargaming, MSQRD and many other projects become world leaders in their industries and niches.

So we can. And that means - you just need to learn a little bit ...