Startup News

Lessons from the virtual founder panel {VIDEO}

Charlie Gunningham
Charlie Gunningham
// // Lessons and tips from four of Australia's most successful startup founders, including video, on how they are responding to Covid-19...

// Lessons and tips from four of Australia’s most successful startup founders, including video, on how they are responding to Covid-19…

Innovation Bay ran another online panel session this week, this time with four big name founders talking about how COVID-19 is impacting their businesses and what they’re doing, big and small, to keep their teams connected and moving forward.

Panellists were:

If you weren’t able to catch this week’s Innovation Bay session (well, it was run live 5am WA time) you can view it below…

Key takeaways 

  • Didier says communication is one of the 5 Cs of Leading in a Crisis. People are paralyzed by fear; they need a plan and information. Leaders need to keep their teams apprised of the current plan and communicate consistently to give some semblance of certainty.
  • Plan for the worst, hope for the best. Luke is planning first for the absolute worst-case scenario, and then the best-case scenario to be prepared for anything in between.
  • We’re in this together. Kate has started a ‘war room’ Slack channel for e-commerce businesses and there are already 270 businesses involved. Reach out to her on Twitter to join.
  • To keep their people connected and informed, Didier, Bridget, and Luke are recording and circulating short videos of themselves daily or every other day, sharing what they’re struggling with and what’s on their mind.
  • You only run out of cash once. Remain conservative with your cash.
  • Everyone is at a different stage on the grief curve (see Simpson video here). Entrepreneurs are already one step ahead, planning for what’s next for the business but Bridget reminded us to take your team along with you on the journey. If you pull them too fast into solution mode, culture can start to break down.
  • Meetings serve a different purpose now. The first 10 minutes of meetings may be spent checking in and catching up with each other and that’s important to do to maintain that human connection.
  • Kate reckons that one positive that will outlast COVID-19 is the sense of empathy we are feeling for each other. We now have a better understanding of the challenges people cope with on a daily basis balancing home life and work life.
  • Some healthy habits to implement: 
    • Keep a routine: Get ready for the day as you normally would. Shower, get dressed, have a coffee, take a walk.
    • Exercise and get some fresh air to clear your head and refresh.
    • Fill your head with good information. Use this opportunity to read more.

Next week’s panel will be about how the government is helping startups cope with COVID-19.

~~

Text and video courtesy of Innovation Bay, with permission.

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Charlie Gunningham

Charlie Gunningham

Former co-founder aussiehome.com, GM reiwa.com, CEO Business News and Accelerating Commercialisation adviser. Charlie has spent 20+ years in Perth's startup scene, as founder, mentor, adviser, writer and investor. There's nothing he likes more than helping early stage tech startups ... and drinking coffee, shiraz or playing in a blues band. Email Charlie here.
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