James Green

There is only one metric to consider when looking to expand internationally. (And I define expanding internationally as anywhere beyond your first market.) Are you profitable in your first market or can you at least see the road to profitability? If you cannot, don't expand. It will just require more cash while complicating what you have to do.

This is the wrong question. Ask yourself how you can hire people who can get the job done. You are measuring the wrong metric. Focus on outcomes. You want sales people who close, develoeprs who deliver working code, marketers who attract clients, etc.

There are so many ways that VCs find startups to invest in. At the top of the pile are VCs like Andreessen Horowitz who through their relationships and cold inbound tend to see the trends and the best companies. But even a "start-up VC" or new VC has relationships in place an a thesis that they are chasing. (Otherwise they would not have been able to raise their capital in the first place!) Then for the less illustrious their network willl be complimented by old fashioned research, attending industry events, sponsoring networking sessions, and the same set of tools that any business uses to find its clientele. The only difference being there will always be more people raising money than there is money to go around....

Startups are like speedboats - it's super easy to change direction and go speeding off into the great unknown - sometimes that's good, and sometimes that's bad. The best way to know that you are acheiving your objectives is to keep just two things in mind: 1. No matter your role, how many clients (defined as anyone outside the company) are using what you are doing? The more the better (obviously). 2. Check in with your leadership frequently to ensure that the engagement you are generating is in line with the vision. You can't check in too often.

I have a slightly different perspective on Product Market Fit: you know it if you have replicable sales and you can prepare sales materials, hire a sales team, and they can sell using the materials you have without any significant modification. If you find yourself selling in a slightly different way to every customer that is a clear indication that you do not yet have product market fit.