Alice, an outstanding 24-year-old engineer working for a top technology company, wants to launch her own startup within the next five years, but she doesn’t yet have a venture concept. What knowledge and skills does Alice need to lead a technology venture? And what’s the best way to acquire that know-how? Should Alice go to graduate school, or keep learning on the job?
What Does an Aspiring Founder Need to Know?
What knowledge and skills do startup founders need to lead a technology venture? And what’s the best way to acquire that know-how? Should they go to graduate school or keep learning on the job? We recently posed these questions to Harvard Business School alumni founders. What we wanted to hear from current leaders of technology ventures was: What does someone who aspires to your role need to know?
The survey results show that no single management skill stands out above the rest. Respondents indicated that founders need to be management jacks-of-all-trades, so to speak. Whether they choose to learn those skills in the classroom or on the job, successful founders need broad mastery of management skills. Extreme aptitude in one area alone, like engineering, will not suffice.