9. Do something you know is relevant, but
others do not know (yet)
Better yet, do something that will change the
world!
Achieve something for which people will fall
in love with you
Achieve something that very few can
Q: How can you be different?
11. Builds a culture of success
◦ Tentative efforts lead to tentative results
Earns loyalty – customers & employees
Attracts excellent people
Protects your business
◦ * You get to send thank-you notes to competitors
Makes you enjoy the journey
What does Excellence get you?
12. Brilliance in approach – cunning, bold,
cowardly, and breathtakingly brilliant
Hard work & Passion
◦ You need to lose sleep over it
Critical thinking and Adapting
◦ Be visionary, but be willing to adapt your vision
◦ Challenge authority, but learn from them
◦ Keep a smile, but be cynical
Above all, … Winning!
Defining Excellence
13. Do you have a jaw-dropping offering?
Do people who test your product end up hugging you?
Does your team argue a lot?
Can a team 3x your size from Bangalore build the same
product?
Do you have a manager (“business person with no proven
skills”) in your team?
Are you driven insanely by a vision?
Does your team have Excellence?
15. #1 – Join the company of Excellence
◦ Be flexible on personal chemistry
Aim to be the best in what you do
◦ That (sometimes) requires being insanely competitive
Stand out of the line
◦ Either you will come out as a fool, or as a genius
When possible, be the second mouse
◦ Learn from the mistakes of the “leaders”
Think “customer”, not business
(my) Tips for Excellence
18. Have a plan for Profit… (before
you write your first line of code)
19. An offering is a manifestation of a
brilliant team put together, working in
unison towards a cunning and a well-
laid plan
Build a world-class Product
20. A great student does not make for a great leader
Beware of the PhD syndrome
◦ Remember, you were trained to critique, not to inspire
Develop a CAN DO attitude
◦ Get small victories to develop confidence
Having a believable, yet a compelling vision
becomes the key
Attitude determines Altitude
21. Gaining success is like a game of golf
You have the right ingredients, but:
◦ you need to build upon it
◦ the world is becoming more competitive
◦ doing business in Silicon Valley is demanding
Setting a culture of excellence in your
professional life will (seamlessly) bring it
together
The results from Excellence will bring innovation,
profits, and seed funding…
Summary