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please help by suggesting valid answers to resolve issue with my partners

A detailed account of a Fastlane process...

Mostafa

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So myself and 3 other friends are about to start a company we are doing the market research and feasibility study and it seems all promising.

However, the issue is I am employed in a multinational company with somewhat a position where interact with managers some leadership duties, while my friends are either freelancers/unemployed with not such a successful career.

The dispute is about management, I would like to apply some project management principals and methodologies at the very beginning assigning tasks measurable deliverable each week and task definitions perhaps even a project plan. My colleagues on the other hand say that's way ahead and startup can't function as multinational and since we are partners on equal footing although am assigned to do the plan and business owners there shouldn't be governance on their task since one is sales other technical other marketing manager and I should enforce rule on their underlings in the future if the company grows.

Please tell me which approach is right as to me they are just chaotic unprofessional and to them I am too strict.

Also if you could please share a link that could settle the argument I would really appreciate it. sorry for the long post.
 
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NursingTn

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Apply the management principles to your own work process. Let your friends do their own things.

If you guys don't have a minimum viable product (MVP) and a couple strategies to that have proven to actively get people / traffic to your MVP in a week, then something is wrong.

For example, I am creating a basic personal training group sessions programm for a group of people in my area. I didn't know if anybody was interested. I joined a FB group and people said, "that's so interesting, yes, I'll join", etc. This all occurred in a matter of week.

I got a MVP, tested the market a little by using the strategy of FB group, got some interests, so my next step is to get people to come in person and see what they think. If no one comes, then I'll trash this plan instead of wasting my time.

If you and your three friends cannot make a simple MVP (it can simply be a headline, a product specific page, whatever) and unable to get any real interests at all from the market in a week... I would question about everybody's work ethics. Only then would I bring up the management principles.
 

PJ-Mallen

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Any entity, a person, a company, a group must set measurable goals in order to be successful. Once the specific goals are set and agreed upon the project management would be the next step. Assigning responsibilities and scheduling regular incremental check-ins to measure the goals. Define the milestones of the business. If they can't do this you need new partners.
 

Stargazer

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If you re-read your post you will see the obvious.

Do not start a company with three people who have a similar viewpoint that is the polar opposite of yours.

It is a non-starter.

Best you know this now than try and extricate in the future after wasting time and/or money.

Dan
 
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Mostafa

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Aug 19, 2019
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Apply the management principles to your own work process. Let your friends do their own things.

If you guys don't have a minimum viable product (MVP) and a couple strategies to that have proven to actively get people / traffic to your MVP in a week, then something is wrong.

For example, I am creating a basic personal training group sessions programm for a group of people in my area. I didn't know if anybody was interested. I joined a FB group and people said, "that's so interesting, yes, I'll join", etc. This all occurred in a matter of week.

I got a MVP, tested the market a little by using the strategy of FB group, got some interests, so my next step is to get people to come in person and see what they think. If no one comes, then I'll trash this plan instead of wasting my time.

If you and your three friends cannot make a simple MVP (it can simply be a headline, a product specific page, whatever) and unable to get any real interests at all from the market in a week... I would question about everybody's work ethics. Only then would I bring up the management principles.
Thank you for your answer, regarding MVP we are still at the phase of founding the company someone is tasked with technical training preparations the other two doing market research. However, I ant to see those task transformed into a plan with measurable processes not just market research 2 month or training 10 days
 

Mostafa

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Aug 19, 2019
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Any entity, a person, a company, a group must set measurable goals in order to be successful. Once the specific goals are set and agreed upon the project management would be the next step. Assigning responsibilities and scheduling regular incremental check-ins to measure the goals. Define the milestones of the business. If they can't do this you need new partners.
Thank you for your answer, the issue I see the project very lucrative and am not sure I can find other partners
 

Mostafa

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Aug 19, 2019
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If you re-read your post you will see the obvious.

Do not start a company with three people who have a similar viewpoint that is the polar opposite of yours.

It is a non-starter.

Best you know this now than try and extricate in the future after wasting time and/or money.

Dan
Thank you for your answer, that is my fear that their work methodology could cause financial loss
 
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minivanman

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Look at the bottom of the business ocean..... lots and lots of sunken partnerSHIPS. While most have atleast 1% chance of making it.... I give this one a 0% chance. But I've been mistaken before.....
 

NursingTn

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Thank you for your answer, regarding MVP we are still at the phase of founding the company someone is tasked with technical training preparations the other two doing market research. However, I ant to see those task transformed into a plan with measurable processes not just market research 2 month or training 10 days

You have people doing market research. What have they found out so far? I know you said the results are promising.

What does that mean? Did you already create a MVP and people said I'm interested? Have they already signed up to give you their emails? Have they thrown money at you?
 

Mostafa

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Aug 19, 2019
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You have people doing market research. What have they found out so far? I know you said the results are promising.

What does that mean? Did you already create a MVP and people said I'm interested? Have they already signed up to give you their emails? Have they thrown money at you?
They are still working but the market is very promising alot of opportunities not just in the country whole region, their is high demand on the product more than other competitors can satisfy we have an edge as other companies are just working with technical knowledge no proper marketing.

However, my issue is not with the project itself, rater organizing my colleagues and their work
 

Brewmacker

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So myself and 3 other friends are about to start a company we are doing the market research and feasibility study and it seems all promising.
However, the issue is I am employed in a multinational company with somewhat a position where interact with managers some leadership duties, while my friends are either freelancers/unemployed with not such a successful career.
The dispute is about management, I would like to apply some project management principals and methodologies at the very beginning assigning tasks measurable deliverable each week and task definitions perhaps even a project plan. My colleagues on the other hand say that's way ahead and startup can't function as multinational and since we are partners on equal footing although am assigned to do the plan and business owners there shouldn't be governance on their task since one is sales other technical other marketing manager and I should enforce rule on their underlings in the future if the company grows.
Please tell me which approach is right as to me they are just chaotic unprofessional and to them I am too strict.
Also if you could please share a link that could settle the argument I would really appreciate it. sorry for the long post.

I am in no way saying you are wrong or right Mostafa, nor am I open to further debate as to what is right or wrong.

I will share with you my experience and advise you how to manage your team moving forward. Do with this information what you will.

As a successful Technical Design Manager leading multi-million euro design projects in a multinational firm for the past 10 years I can safely say, in terms of design and development that:

I f'ing detest project management, the shitty little project management tools (whatever is in fashion that season) and the PM processes with every bone in my body. (ah feels good to say that :) )

During the design phases, PM tools are way to distracting, take waaay to much time away from the actual work to be done and can severely limit time for creativity and innovation.
PM and tools may be more suited to the overall project execution/construction, but by that phase in a project my product is defined, tested and developed and I am long gone working on the next design.

As a design manager my focus is primarily on design, safety, high quality and eventually the delivery of a product to the gate. Whereas, project management focuses on the overall project in terms of time, financing, resourcing and integration of the product. Oh and most importantly, saying everything is A-okay to the project board (aka the peacocks).

By forcing corporate project management tools on your team at this phase you will risk becoming 'schedule focused' and not 'quality focused'. You and your team are here to create as much "value" as you can in these initial phases. Take your time now and inspire creativity instead of trying to control it. When you go to execution phase the PM tools may be more useful (though I still have never experienced this).

Advice moving forward
When I have create a design with a large team, I create a high-level key milestones schedule defined in excel (factoring in a healthy dose of time-contingency) and I use tools like the LEAN board or even better Trello to set weekly tasks and stay in control of what needs to be done.
A 20 minute weekly meeting is all you need with your team to track what is complete, what is ongoing and what needs to be done.

To date I never worked on a project where "Design and Development" has benefited from Project Management processes. It has always been a hindrance.

Please remember you guys are co-founding a business and in the end each one of you will most likely be the head of that division. How they will get their respective jobs done is their business and the business of the team, and not specifically your business or something to control.

Also be careful with that superiority complex over your team, I recognize that feeling rising in myself sometimes (especially when I was younger) and I mentally punch myself to restore a humble state. It sounds like your friends have been living a life much closer to an unscripted life that you in your scripted corporate 9-5.

It seems from your description that you really want to implement what you know and have been trained in from your job. I think that is only natural and a positive thing, but consider just taking action by getting on with the work and stop approval seeking from the team. When you have created something tangible with added value for the development of your product, then sell it to the team instead of forcing an idea on them.
 

Mostafa

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
14%
Aug 19, 2019
7
1
I am in no way saying you are wrong or right Mostafa, nor am I open to further debate as to what is right or wrong.

I will share with you my experience and advise you how to manage your team moving forward. Do with this information what you will.

As a successful Technical Design Manager leading multi-million euro design projects in a multinational firm for the past 10 years I can safely say, in terms of design and development that:

I f'ing detest project management, the shitty little project management tools (whatever is in fashion that season) and the PM processes with every bone in my body. (ah feels good to say that :) )

During the design phases, PM tools are way to distracting, take waaay to much time away from the actual work to be done and can severely limit time for creativity and innovation.
PM and tools may be more suited to the overall project execution/construction, but by that phase in a project my product is defined, tested and developed and I am long gone working on the next design.

As a design manager my focus is primarily on design, safety, high quality and eventually the delivery of a product to the gate. Whereas, project management focuses on the overall project in terms of time, financing, resourcing and integration of the product. Oh and most importantly, saying everything is A-okay to the project board (aka the peacocks).

By forcing corporate project management tools on your team at this phase you will risk becoming 'schedule focused' and not 'quality focused'. You and your team are here to create as much "value" as you can in these initial phases. Take your time now and inspire creativity instead of trying to control it. When you go to execution phase the PM tools may be more useful (though I still have never experienced this).

Advice moving forward
When I have create a design with a large team, I create a high-level key milestones schedule defined in excel (factoring in a healthy dose of time-contingency) and I use tools like the LEAN board or even better Trello to set weekly tasks and stay in control of what needs to be done.
A 20 minute weekly meeting is all you need with your team to track what is complete, what is ongoing and what needs to be done.

To date I never worked on a project where "Design and Development" has benefited from Project Management processes. It has always been a hindrance.

Please remember you guys are co-founding a business and in the end each one of you will most likely be the head of that division. How they will get their respective jobs done is their business and the business of the team, and not specifically your business or something to control.

Also be careful with that superiority complex over your team, I recognize that feeling rising in myself sometimes (especially when I was younger) and I mentally punch myself to restore a humble state. It sounds like your friends have been living a life much closer to an unscripted life that you in your scripted corporate 9-5.

It seems from your description that you really want to implement what you know and have been trained in from your job. I think that is only natural and a positive thing, but consider just taking action by getting on with the work and stop approval seeking from the team. When you have created something tangible with added value for the development of your product, then sell it to the team instead of forcing an idea on them.
Thank you for your answer, this could be the best answer I got today. I really appreciate your input
 
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Vigilante

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If you re-read your post you will see the obvious.

Do not start a company with three people who have a similar viewpoint that is the polar opposite of yours.

It is a non-starter.

Best you know this now than try and extricate in the future after wasting time and/or money.

Dan

This
 

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