Back in 2011 and 2012, Pardot was experiencing rapid growth, generating millions of dollars in recurring revenue. As an entrepreneur who enjoyed starting new ventures and identifying potential business ideas, I regularly engaged with other aspiring entrepreneurs. By that point, I was collaborating with several excellent entrepreneurs, including Craig Hyde on Rigor, a web performance monitoring platform, and Kyle Porter on Salesloft, a sales engagement software platform.
One of our early initiatives was a daily check-in among all of us. This simple yet effective practice involved gathering for 10 minutes each morning to answer three straightforward questions: What did you accomplish yesterday? What are you going to do today? Are there any roadblocks?
This approach resonated with us as it should for any team or business stage. However, it was particularly valuable to our group of entrepreneurs working on their own ventures. Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster of ups and downs, with highs and lows that are best shared with people we trust. But by having a small group of like-minded individuals check in with each other daily, we created an accountability network.
We shared ideas faster, identifying what was working and what wasn’t. We calibrated the different components of our businesses, exploring how they could complement each other. There’s a lot of talk about remote and hybrid work when the goal is to grow as quickly as possible, both for the business and for the individual. While navigating the challenges of starting from scratch, entrepreneurs would benefit from finding a cohort of other entrepreneurs, preferably a small group of those who genuinely enjoy helping each other.
At that stage of our careers and entrepreneurial journeys, maintaining a standing daily check-in proved invaluable. It allowed us to meet, share our experiences, and grow together as a group. Entrepreneurs should find a peer group and look for ways to grow faster with activities like a daily check-in.
David Cummings on Startups 