Today marks 5 months of working full-time on building Lüm Ventures. Thrilled to share that we have solidified our founding team, bringing together a group of talented, passionate and fun individuals committed to building our vision of an AI-powered venture studio!


Here are some quick learnings over the past 5 months.

Communication + Team Syncing

With the team growing, communication and getting everyone synced has been of increased focus for me. While a majority of our communication is still 1:1 and ad-hoc, we've been increasingly using writing for key communication and ideas/plans so that the knowledge can scale and serve as a starting point for new hires. It has forced me to be a clearer and more structured thinker, helping us identify problems and opportunities/solutions.

The Rollercoaster  

A lot of people told me about the roller coaster of emotions that comes from building a startup, but nothing prepared me for the actual experience. The highs (no matter how big or small - 1st sign-up, 1st customer, deploying codebase successfully, bringing on a co-founder) have me buzzing like a bee, while the lows (co-founder ghosting, failed acquisitions, failed ideas) can be really challenging. Finding the right tools (Scale Your Everest - helped me https://lnkd.in/djRDMYHQ) and network to navigate the lows has been key.

Taking Action

I'm constantly fighting both analysis paralysis and shiny object syndrome, leaving me either stuck on a decision/path or going to explore something that isn't a top priority. Adding deadlines and accountability partners has forced me to make decisions quicker and stay focused, while jotting down quick notes allows the brain to quench its thirst for random connections. Speed is our greatest advantage.

Maximize Your Odds of Survival, Not Your Potential Exit

Erik Severinghaus shared insightful, non-standard advice with me, which he also wrote about: focusing on maximizing your odds of survival rather than potential exit when building and running a company. I use this principle to evaluate the risk and rewards of decisions, particularly in areas like funding, founder-idea fit, and business models.

Having Fun

This journey has been, and will continue to be, at times a slog. There will undoubtedly be times of hardship and struggle. This makes working with people you enjoy and maximizing time in your zone of genius essential.

As we prepare to enter the next stage of growth, we're excited about the future and the possibilities that lie ahead. We're building a strong foundation and look forward to what the future holds. Stay tuned, sign up for more updates, and thank you to everyone that has been a part of our journey!

https://lum.ventures/