We all hear about the Billion Dollar Unicorn Club, but what does it take to be part of it? Entrepreneurs start their business with dreams for the future, but many don't think beyond vague goals and ambitions. Determining your purpose, values, and position is a good start, but can only get you part of the way. Hear straight from the "Unicorn Whisperer" how you can tame the Unicorn and stop chasing it.

1. Heather Wilde,
Unicorn Whisperer
ROCeteer
So,
You Want to Be a
Unicorn?
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

2. It all started with a boat…
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

3. "When times are tough, you tighten
your belts.
You don't go buying a boat when you
can barely pay your mortgage. You
don't blow a bunch of cash on Vegas
when you're trying to save for
college. You prioritize. You make
tough choices."
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

4. And then the world turned upside
down…
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

5. FAIL FAST
Then move on to the next thing.

6. WHO AM I?
Live in Las Vegas, United States of America
Early Employee at the world’s 16th Unicorn Company (Evernote)
“Unicorn Whisperer”
2015 Stevie Award Winner, Mentor/Coach of the Year and Female
Executive of the Year
Advisor and Mentor to hundreds of companies worldwide
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

7. A “unicorn” refers to any tech startup
company that reaches a $1 billion dollar
market value as determined by private or
public investment.
The term was originally coined by Aileen
Lee, founder of Cowboy Ventures.
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

8. 8 MARKS OF A UNICORN
Has a simple idea
Solves an existing, mass market problem
Has an obvious, communicable, quantifiable value
Has a clear market differentiation
Is based around an online platform or service
Has a great user experience
Has founders with a clear vision
Comes at the right place, right time
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

9. @heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

10. 92 $1B+ Companies
United States & Canada
1 $1B+ Company
South-­‐America
1 $1B+ Company
Australia
15 $1B+ Companies
United Kingdom & Europe
2 $1B+ Companies
Middle East
32 $1B+ Companies
Asia
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

11. In 90% of Unicorn companies:
The founder/CEOs have technical degrees.
2+ co-founders went to school or previously worked together.
The founders had prior tech startup experience.
The founders were in their 30s (or older) when they started it.
The founders or CEOs are male.
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

12. A culture is a collection of shared, underlying
beliefs about what is important and appropriate
that becomes the accepted “norm” or “best
practice”.
A “startup culture” is a workplace environment
that values creative problem solving, open
communication and a flat hierarchy.
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

13. Marc Andreessen: “Do you know the best thing
about startups?”
Ben Horowitz: “What?”
Marc Andreessen: “You only ever experience two
emotions: euphoria and terror. And I find that
lack of sleep enhances them both.”
-­‐The Hard Thing About Hard Things
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

14. Typical day at a Unicorn
Arrive sometime between 10 and 11.
Catch up on Work - 1.5 hours
Eat lunch (at the office) - 1 hour
Work until 6PM - 4.5 hours
Eat Dinner (at the office) - 1 hour
Take break (at the office) - 1 hour
Work until between 10pm to 1am (depending on requirements). - 2-5 hours
Total daily time Worked: 8-11 hours
Total daily time in Office: 11-14 hours – 6 or 7 days a week!!!
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

15. Evernote offered every full-time worker house cleaning
and a $1000 a year vacation stipend (to ensure employees
actually take some of their unlimited vacation days).
Google offers nap pods, dry cleaning and other services
such as having fresh fish to be delivered to the office for
employees to take home.
Apple and Facebook each offer $20,000 to their female
employees toward egg harvesting and freezing.
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

16. Work life balance is not something
that startup founders often get.
The risk of burning out (or worse)
is high.
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

17. S madsweetworld.com
Many of the top cited reasons for startup
failures are emotionally or psychologically
grounded.
For example, being worn out, the effects of
pride or unrealistic expectations.
cc: Jeff Kubina - https://www.flickr.com/photos/95118988@N00
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

18. Would you
rather
chase a
unicorn,
or ride it?
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

19. S madsweetworld.com
“Failure really does pave the way to
success. I started coding when I was 12.
A lot of things I did didn't pay off but
it all went into my toolbelt. It takes a
massive number of attempts to be
successful.”
- Nathan Blecharczyk, AirBNB Founder
cc: Fly For Fun - https://www.flickr.com/photos/57518661@N00
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

20. Focus on building a
meaningful company -
not the next unicorn.
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

21. S madsweetworld.com
Got Questions?
cc: Stéfan - https://www.flickr.com/photos/49462908@N00
@heathriel
@ROCeteer_inc
#DevoxxMA

22. S madsweetworld.comcc: heanster - https://www.flickr.com/photos/24582142@N00
Thanks!
#DevoxxMA
@heathriel
@roceteer_inc
heather@roceteer.com
heathriel.com
https://ROCeteer.com