Notes and Presentation from Rework College

Thanks to everyone who attended my Rework College talk this afternoon.  We had a great turnout and an amazing Q&A session.

Here is a copy of my presentation: http://prezi.com/awr5_k5rf1rn/
Here is the book I reference, Rework: http://www.amazon.com/Rework-Jason-Fried/dp/0307463745


Here are some notes and links from the event:

- Its not about creating tons of 16 hours days, but finding ways to optimizing the time you have.
- find a balance to do everything you want while fulfilling your academic obligations
- if CEO's that manage billions of dollars can spend 1.5 hours a day doing yoga, than I can squeeze a few more hours out of my day

Tips, Tricks, and Social Hedges
1. Classes - Ask to get classes you want substituted for required courses.  Ask to work on your own project.  Ask to form your own group.  The worst the professor can say is "No" and you're no worse off.
2. Calendar - Record every event and when that day comes up decide what is the most important thing is.  Study group vs. rock climbing?  You'll know what is most important on that day, not planning a week in advance.
3. Make a list of things to accomplish for today.  Do them.  Its simple but extremely hard to follow.  
4. Speed Reading - I wish I learned about this in high school.  Learn it or at least get started.  Read faster and remember more.  Roshan Choxi recommended this book

5. Between time - if you're driving, walking between classes, etc. load up an iPod with Audiobooks, Podcasts, etc. 
Public Domain Audiobooks - http://librivox.org/
Audiobooks - Audible.com

Pick classes where you can work on a side project you will do anyway.  
I took a Database course at UIUC because I was interested in it and I could work on a project I always wanted to do.

Do More with Less
Stop worrying about "What if".  
What if 1 million users signup?  
What if someone offers you $10 million for your company?  
What if someone copies your product?  
Many of these things cannot be predicted and when they happen you have the best information at that time. 
Stop worrying and start building

Legal/IP/Accounting - find someone to worry about that for you
Slow down your burnrate - buy for $1 and sell for $2
Build the core of your product.  
Focus on less features and instead build a better product.  
Many features are fluff and filler for a lack of a great and usable product.

No "just idea" guys.  Need people who can produce a product or sales or something tangible to the business.  Everyone must be a producer.

(download)

Guerilla Startup Series: “Rework College” by Matt Gornick, CEO of OrangeQC

From the Illini Entrepreneurship Network:

Guerilla Startup Series: “Rework College” by Matt Gornick, CEO of OrangeQC
We’re launching our new Guerilla Startup Series with the CEO of the Cozad winning company OrangeQC. The Guerilla Startup Series is all about bootstrapped startups and the most useful skills you need to start one. Matt will go over his Rework/37signals influenced work style and how he balances running a startup company with his academic career.

Only the first 25 to sign up will be admitted, please RSVP to attend here