#51 Nan Meka | On Choosing a Startup That's Right for You

Everyone wants to get into startups. 

They've become the new hottest thing. 

Today, we uncover what to look for when joining a startup. 

Nan Meka is VP at Pet Circle and a Fellow at Afterwork VC.

🤝 Connect with Nan

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nan-meka-8b5a5812

👇 Episode Takeaways

Interviewing the Startup

When looking for a startup role, you should be interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. 

Here are some things to look for:

• rigour of the business model

• market size (is the company in a growing market?)

• diversity

• team composition

• founder and exec team history

• product reviews, customer feedback

You should research the company thoroughly, and ask even more detailed questions during the interview. 

If your interviewers don't give many details, take it as a sign that they may have something to hide. 

The Fallacy of Fundraising Size

Startups that raise money are often in the news. We default to assuming that a big raise means a good company. 

This is not always the case. 

Currently, companies that recently raised lots of money are having to lay off workers. 

Nan suggests taking the investment size with a grain of salt. 

What is more important than the amount of capital raised, is whether the company has a product that people love and will pay for. 

Chasing Compensation

As young people, we make mistakes often. 

Nan says that one of the biggest mistakes we make is chasing compensation rather than learning opportunities. 

"I think early on in your career you should definitely optimize for learning over earning a high salary and even the role as well. And I strongly believe that if you invest in learning first, you are gonna develop that highly sought-after skill set which translates into that valuable role, which a high salary is ultimately a byproduct of"

Earning rather than learning may end up resulting in you earning less later in life. 

While you are young, pursue learning opportunities. 

📝 Content Timestamps

00:00 Nan Meka

00:33 Transitioning from Corporate to Startups

07:45 Finding a good startup

15:45 Learning and Career Progression

19:58 Mistakes young people make

23:57 Nan's Advice for Graduates