Cultural concepts, practices, and norms in the startup and venture ecosystem.
8 terms
Building and growing a company using only personal funds and operating revenue, without external investment.
The degree to which a founder's background, expertise, and passion align with the market they're pursuing, often considered the strongest predictor of startup success.
A management philosophy where founders stay deeply involved in operational decisions rather than delegating to professional managers — popularized by Paul Graham's 2024 essay.
A growth pattern characterized by a flat or slow early period followed by a sudden, steep upward trajectory — resembling the shape of a hockey stick.
A company that has found product-market fit and is focused on rapidly expanding its customer base, team, and revenue.
Releasing product updates, features, or fixes to users — used in startup culture to signal execution velocity and bias toward action over planning.
Founder or team exhaustion resulting from prolonged high-intensity startup work.
Ownership stake earned through labor and effort rather than financial investment.