Jack Dorsey: Running a business idea - applicable to IT security?

What does this post have to do with security? Well, we will soon see it. Stanford University's entrepreneurship corner is one of those reasons why Internet is, even just for this, a great invention. From your screen at home or from our smartphone or mp3 player, we have access to lectures given my current entrepreneurs.

One of the latest lectures is the one given by Jack Dorsey, creator of  twitter and square. I took note of some learning points, maybe subjective, out of his talk.

They are brilliant points to consider when creating a start-up within the IT security world. Do not forget them!
  • "Instrument" your company from day 1. The first thing he did in square (and not in twitter) is writing an admin control panel for their servers.
  • Be a story teller. You need to inspire your team and your customers with a story, your idea.
  • In the company, you act as the editor, composing the stories.
  • The team you build is not permanent, different players will need to enter and exit according to their profiles, the current story and the "required edition".
  • Internal communication: Everyone in the company will have the same priorities.
  • External communication: You communicate with the product, your product is "your story for your customers".
  • Money in the bank: The company needs it, firstly from investors and secondly, and more critical, from revenue.
  • Limit the number of details. Those details that stay need to be perfect.
  • A last sentence from his side:"expect the unexpected and, whenever possible, be the unexpected".
If you see value in these points, then listen to the entire podcast or watch the lecture.

Happy listening!

ps Thanks to the Stanford's Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Seminar crew!