PODIM 2016: Go home and hustle hard!

Steli Efti · September 28, 2016

I recently had the privilege of speaking at PODIM, the largest and leading conference on entrepreneurship, startups and innovation in the Alps-Adriatic region. I used this opportunity to share my simple, but effective formula for getting what you want out of life and business.

Push yourself every day. Do something you're afraid of. Whether that means going out to find great employees, investors, or customers—never, ever, stop hustling.

At its core, hustling is about finding the few things that matter, and going all in, really putting yourself on the line to make a difference. And there are five components that help me to successfully execute on this philosophy.

1. The power of showing up

On my first day in America, I didn’t know anyone here. I didn’t know where I would stay. All I had were my bags, my used one-way ticket from Germany, and the belief that Silicon Valley was the entrepreneurial promised land where people with big dreams could do big things.

Fast forward to the end of my second day in America and I had nearly 200 business cards from people who wanted to help and get to know me. Years later, some of them are still my friends!

How did I do this? With the power of showing up. Read more.

2. Follow up like a champ

Life is all about the follow-up. Especially when it comes to the startup hustle.

It’s easy to focus on the initial contact. The first meeting. The email you’ve sent to someone important. You reach out to someone and then feel good about yourself. You’ve done your job, you’ve pitched and reached out. You’ve asked for a meeting/call/etc. Now all you have to do is sit around and wait for them to respond.

That’s the completely wrong approach. Start winning every deal with the amazing power of the follow-up. Read more.

3. Learn to close the deal

I'm going to let you in on a secret: people that are afraid of rejection are the ones that get it often. They are the people who are the most affected by it.

They take it personally. They can feel it. Taste it. You can see it all over their face.

You know who doesn’t care? People who are winning. People who are closing deals.

Close deals by asking early, asking often, and embracing the no . Read more.

4. The fastest way to getting smart is looking stupid

When was the last time you made a mistake?

No one likes looking stupid or feeling embarrassed. However, to grow and learn at a startup, you have to leave your comfort zone behind and take risks. That also means making mistakes.

No mistakes mean you're not growing fast enough. Here's how to use mistakes to accelerate your growth. Read more.

5. The power of right the fuck now

The power of right the fuck now will take your hustle to the next level.

You'll get more things done and have fewer things slip through the cracks. You'll experience a sense of accomplishment. And most importantly, you'll spend more time doing things that really create results.

Sounds too good to be true? I used it to get Paul Graham to introduce me to an investor right on the spot. Read more.