Last week saw the first ever International Startup Festival here in Montreal, and it was wicked.
I learned a whole lot, met some amazing people, and came away terrified and inspired all at once. Personally, my biggest takeaway was the amazing energy and professionalism of the speakers and presenters. It was awe inspiring to see so many young, enthusiastic people, with so much stage presence and speaking talent, taking the time to share their experiences and insights with us. Thanks to everyone involved – it was a thoroughly nourishing experience.
Highlights for me included the Dave McClure keynote, during which I realized I probably don’t have a choice but take a crack at turning the big idea that’s been bugging me for a decade into a startup. Either that or I’ll never sleep properly again. Yes, he scared me shitless, but he also made me realize that I’m doing this for the right reasons.
Another eye-opener was the presentation by Ash Maurya on Running Lean – also the title of his new book, available online here: http://www.runningleanhq.com/ I heartily recommend you pick up a copy – You can even pay for it with a Tweet (for a limited ime only). Ash methodically breaks down the phases of getting a lean startup up and running with a straightforward how-to guide, which documents the process of getting his own projects up and running, adn somewhat recursively includes references to the process of writing the book in question. Great stuff!
