Tech for Non-Techies

Learning notes from this episode:   The Silicon Valley unicorn model of growth at all costs is not applicable to all tech startups. "Camel companies" can survive a drought, i.e. they were created in constrained environments so could not just pump millions into marketing and R&D before they had a proven business model. Camel companies focus on unit economics from the start. Unit economics is defined as the “direct revenues and costs associated with a particular business model, and are specifically expressed on a per unit basis”. How to measure unit economics differs from company to company, but the aim of the metric is to help you understand whether the business opportunity is worth investing in.    Get Out-Innovate: How Global Entrepreneurs - from Delhi to Detroit - Are Rewriting the Rules of Silicon Valley.   To get access to live masterclasses, learning materials and a unique community, become a Tech for Non-Techies member.    Get your free guide on how to go from idea to live app here.   Say hi to Sophia on Twitter. 

Learning notes from this episode:   The time to transition into tech is now, as lockdowns have moved our lives online. You can do this with a job change, or by investing or starting your own tech venture.  Learn concepts, not skills. Understand how tech products are made, but don't retrain to be a coder or a data scientist. Get involved with digital initiatives to put your new knowledge to the test. Build your network with people who could help you make the transition. The Tech for Non-Techies community is a great place to start.   To learn about Tech for Non-Techies events and courses and get Sophia's insights into your inbox, sign up to our mailing list   Check out Tech for Non-Techies membership here.   Say hi to Sophia Matveeva on Twitter.

Learning notes from this episode:   The design process begins with questioning whether a product needs to exist in the first place. Start with research and customer interviews before you build a prototype. A good design must be usable, solve a real problem, and buildable within the company's budget. This is why collaboration with developers, product managers and founders is essential for good design. The principles of good design are the same as the Lean Startup methodology: build, measure, learn and iterate.   You can say hi to Jane on Twitter here.   To learn about Tech for Non-Techies events and courses and get Sophia's insights into your inbox, sign up to our mailing list   Check out Tech for Non-Techies membership here.   Say hi to Sophia Matveeva on Twitter.

Learning notes from this episode:   As a non-technical founder, you don’t need a technical co-founder, but you do need a web of tech experts to advise you. Learning to admit that you don’t have all the answers is a far more useful skill for non-technical founders than learning to code. “Put those engineering books aside and make sure you’ve got the strength to be vulnerable. That’s the most important thing,” says Alexandra. Working with an outsourced product team can be a great way to build your business. Alexandra worked with Goody Labs at Triptease and recommends them. If you have a brilliant idea for tech venture, but no tech skills to build it, then the What Non-Technical Founders REALLY Need to Know About Tech course is for you. Join the Tech for Non-Techies mailing list here. Say hi to Sophia on Twitter

Learning notes from this episode:   Outsourcing can be done in 3 ways: with an agency (focus on design), a development shop (focus on engineering) or a product studio (holistic approach to the entire product). Make sure whoever you hire uses agile methodology and adapts the product specifications as you learn. An MVP should take no more than 6 - 8 weeks to develop. Knowing this can help you plan your costs.   Say hi to Igor Moliver on LinkedIn.   To join future Tech for Non-Techies events, sign up to our newsletter.   To join the free live training on The Non-Technical Founder's Introduction to Tech on 21 September 2020, click here.   Say hi to Sophia on Twitter.

Learning notes from this episode:   Prepare to pitch to a technical co-founder as you would to an investor: have a plan, understand your market and know your target customer Choices developers make early on about the tech architecture can have a serious impact later on. Non-technical founders should learn some basic tech concepts to ask the right questions from the start. Before you look for a technical co-founder, understand what kind of technology you need to build. Then you will be able to target the right people for your venture   Say hi to Andrew on Twitter.  Learn about Dreamit here.   To participate in TFNT live events, get all of our sessions on demand and get access to office hours with Sophia, join TFNT membership here.   Say hi to host Sophia Matveeva on Twitter.

Learning notes from this episode:   Networking is key to making a career transition. Meet people who are doing the job you are interested in and learn from them. To transition into a PM role, start by working on digital initiatives first. This will be your stepping stone to get to PM. Take courses to understand what developers are working with. Amber recommends AWS certification.   Say hi to Amber on Twitter    To participate in TFNT live events, get all of our sessions on demand and get access to office hours with Sophia, join TFNT membership here.   Say hi to host Sophia Matveeva on Twitter.

Learning notes from this episode:   If you want to transition into Big Tech from a non-technical career, start by working on digital initiatives  Use storytelling and public speaking to stand out in front of Big Tech recruiters When Bruce led Twitter for EMEA, his job was divided into 3 sections: brand management, user growth and revenue growth. Can you bring one of these specialities to a tech company?   If you want to hear more from Bruce and his take on how to bring more joy to work, sign up to his newsletter.   To hear the full session, join Tech for Non-Techies membership. You'll get access to all the recordings, live events, a mini course and monthly Q&A with Sophia.   To make sure you never miss our free events and webinars, sign up to the Tech for Non-Techies newsletter.

Check out Parth's book Swipe to Unlock: The Insider’s Guide to Tech and Business Strategy.   Learning points from this episode:   Product strategy sets the vision of the future trends for your business Product management implements that vision with a specific product The three factors that firms use to decide whether to build, borrow or buy new innovation are: team, product and users   If you are interested in the Tech for Non-Technical Founders course Sophia mentioned at the start of the show, sign up to the TFNT newsletter and we will let you know about the next enrolment. To participate in TFNT live events, join TFNT membership here. Say hi to host Sophia Matveeva on Twitter.

Learning notes from this episode:   Product managers define "the what, the when and the why of the product," - what the product is, what the priorities are within the product and why it needs to exist. Product managers do not need to code, but taking some basic coding courses can help product managers work better with developers. Constant learning is a feature of a good product manager's job: learn via industry newsletters, online courses and books. To make a career transition, don't only do courses, but also get some practical experience. For example, do volunteer user research for a startup.   If you are interested in the Tech for Non-Technical Founders course Juliet mentioned, sign up to the TFNT newsletter and we will let you know about the next enrolment. To participate in TFNT live events, join TFNT membership here. Say hi to host Sophia Matveeva on Twitter.