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RunKeeper founder Jason Jacobs to entrepreneurs: My biggest regret was not having the confidence to get going earlier [Audio]

Posted by Scott Kirsner May 15, 2012 08:34 AM
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seibert-jacobs.jpg

By Scott Kirsner, Globe Columnist

Last Saturday was the second annual edition of RamenCamp, a conference that focuses on boot-strapping techniques, mainly for software, mobile, and Internet businesses. One of the best sessions that I caught — and I was only there for a few hours — was a fireside chat featuring RunKeeper founder Jason Jacobs. (He was interviewed by Jeff Seibert, another entrepreneur. Jeff is on the left in the photo, Jacobs on the right.)

A snippet of audio is below. Among the things Jacobs discusses:

- Starting a company as an MBA who doesn't write code.

- Hiring people at different stages in a startup's evolution.

- Some of the biggest lessons he has learned in starting his first company.

- Building a nimble culture where employees can make fast decisions, even without having perfect information.

- Scaling at the right pace after you've raised funding.

- His biggest regret: "Not having the confidence to get going earlier. I was 30 or 31 when I started my first company."

- Jacobs: "Figure out what are you really passionate about. If you could solve any problem, what would it be? Once you find it, don't wait."

- Is location important? (IE, doing a startup in Boston vs. Silicon Valley)

The audio runs for about 12 minutes. Hit play below, or the "mp3" link to download it for later listening.

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About Scott Kirsner Scott Kirsner was part of the team that launched Boston.com in 1995, and has been writing a column for the Globe since 2000. His work has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, The New York Times, BusinessWeek, Newsweek, and Variety. Scott is also the author of the books "Fans, Friends & Followers" and "Inventing the Movies," was the editor of "The Convergence Guide: Life Sciences in New England," and was a contributor to "The Good City: Writers Explore 21st Century Boston." Scott also helps organize several local events on entrepreneurship, including the Nantucket Conference and Future Forward. Here's some background on how Scott decides what to cover, and how to pitch him a story idea.

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