A definitive book for any CEO?first time or otherwise?of a high-growth company While big company CEOs are usually groomed for the job for years, startup CEOs aren't?and they're often young and relatively inexperienced in business in general. Author Matt Blumberg, a technology and marketing entrepreneur, knows this all too well. Back in 1999, he started a company called Return Path, which later became the driving force behind the creation of his blog, OnlyOnce?because "you're only a first time CEO once." Now, more than a decade later, he's written Startup CEO. As the fifth book in the StartUp Revolution series, this reliable resource is based on Blumberg's experience as a startup CEO and covers a number of issues he's faced over the dozen years he's been a CEO. Offers valuable insights into how the CEO sets the overall vision and strategy of the company and communicates it to all stakeholders Discusses how to build a company's human capital by recruiting, hiring, and retaining the very best talent Examines how a CEO must align available resources with the company's strategy in order to ensure success Addresses what it takes to master the "How" of being a CEO?from leading an executive team to managing in any type of market Engaging and informative, this book is essential reading for any, and every, CEO.

Table of Contents:
FOREWORD XIII ACKNOWLEDGMENTS XV ABOUT THE AUTHOR XIX INTRODUCTION XXI PART ONE: STORYTELLING 1 CHAPTER ONE: Dream the Possible Dream 3 CHAPTER TWO: Defi ning and Testing the Story 11 CHAPTER THREE: Telling the Story to Your Investors 19 CHAPTER FOUR: Telling the Story to Your Team 27 CHAPTER FIVE: Revising the Story 37 CHAPTER SIX: Bringing the Story to Life 47 PART TWO: BUILDING THE COMPANY?S HUMAN CAPITAL 57 CHAPTER SEVEN: Fielding a Great Team 59 CHAPTER EIGHT: The CEO as Functional Supervisor 71 CHAPTER NINE: Crafting Your Company's Culture 77 CHAPTER TEN: The Hiring Challenge 87 CHAPTER ELEVEN: Every Day in Every Way, We Get a Little Better 99 CHAPTER TWELEVE: Compensation 111 CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Promoting 119 CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Rewarding: "It's the Little Things" That Matter 125 CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Managing Remote Offi ces and Employees 131 CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Firing: When It?s Not Working 135 PART THREE: EXECUTION 143 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Creating a Company Operating System 145 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Creating Your Operating Plan and Setting Goals 149 CHAPTER NINETEEN: Making Sure There's Enough Money in the Bank 159 CHAPTER TWENTY: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Financing 165 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: When and How to Raise Money 175 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: Forecasting and Budgeting 181 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: Collecting Data 189 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: Managing in Tough Times 195 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: Meeting Routines 201 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: Driving Alignment 211 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN" Have You Learned Your Lesson? 217 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: Going Global 223 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: The Role of M&A 229 CHAPTER THIRTY: Competition 239 CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: Failure 243 PART FOUR: BUILDING AND LEADING A BOARD OF DIRECTORS 251 CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: The Value of a Good Board 253 CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: Building Your Board 257 CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: Board Meeting Materials 267 CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: Running Eff ective Board Meetings 271 CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: Non?Board Meeting Time 279 CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: Decision Making and the Board 281 CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: Working with the Board on Your Compensation and Review 287 CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: Serving on Other Boards 293 PART FIVE: MANAGING YOURSELF SO YOU CAN MANAGE OTHERS 301 CHAPTER FORTY: Creating a Personal Operating System 303 CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: Working with an Executive Assistant 311 CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: Working with a Coach 317 CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: The Importance of Peer Groups 323 CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR: Staying Fresh 327 CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE: Your Family 337 CHAPTER FORTY-SIX: Traveling 345 CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN: Taking Stock 349 A NOTE ON EXITS 355 CONCLUSION 359 WHAT DID I MISS? 360 BIBLIOGRAPHY 361 ABOUT THE COMPANION WEB SITE 365 INDEX 367 EXCERPT FROM STARTUP BOARDS 373