As your company grows, so its impact expands across the city, nation, and world. Sam Altman, the founder of Y Combinator, points out that some companies won't grow past a specific size. So the sooner the leaders know how big their company should be, the better they would be able to lead.

Getting better as your company gets bigger

If you care about something, it shows up in your product. What does your product say, or fail to say, about your values? Lisa P. Jackson, VP of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives at Apple

Your product and values

Luke Woods, Head of Product Design at Facebook, doesn't think of himself as a designer.&nbsp; A designer is more focused on solving problems for real people. On the other hand, artists tend to express ideas for their own gratification.

Artist vs designer

<figure><img alt="" src="https://miro.medium.com/max/500/1*OCBJtzD6stj764SMuAu-6Q" width="680" height="382"></figure>The following questions were formed from statements made by the following executives during their interviews on the main stage of TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2017:<UL><LI>Kevin Durant, Principal at The Durant Company</LI></UL>These are not direct quotes, unless otherwise indicated.<h1 data-selectable-paragraph="">1. “Is this company the type of company that gets better as it gets bigger?”</h1>-Y CombinatorAs you grow your company, and its impact increases upon its city, its nation, and the world: will it be a force for good? Altman pointed out that some companies aren’t meant to grow past a certain size. The sooner you know how big your company should be, the better you’ll be at leading it.<h1 data-selectable-paragraph="">2. What does your product say about your values?</h1>-AppleJackson brought up that if you look closely at the keynote slides of the new iPhone 8 and X, you’ll find in fine print the words Low carbon process. “If we care about something, it shows up in our products,” she said. “This new ‘low carbon process’ is not going to be the headline like the camera, but it’s there.”What does your product say — or not say — about your values?<h1 data-selectable-paragraph="">3. Are you an artist or a designer?</h1>-Facebook“I don’t think of myself as an artist,” said Woods. “The difference between an artist and a designer is the designer is more focused on people.”As an entrepreneur, your job is to solve problems for real people. This question is a beautiful self-check to make sure you’re actually designing something for real people. Or are you just expressing yourself for your own gratification?<h1 data-selectable-paragraph="">4. If there was one job your product can do that you can’t do with any other existing solution, what would it be?</h1>-Menlo VenturesCarolan <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/18/index-battlefield-launch/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" dir="ltr">asked this</a> question to the founder of a project-organizing app called Index. During the co-founder’s pitch, the product came across as general and helpful but not as critical or necessary. Carolan’s question hit upon the importance of focus and niche-targeting.When you think about your product (or vision), can you answer his question?<h1 data-selectable-paragraph="">5. Can you distill your pitch into one sentence?</h1>-The Durant CompanyDurant’s business partner, Richard Klein, is aware of Durant’s time-strapped and hyper-focused basketball schedule and so he communicates investment opportunities to Durant in one sentence pitches. “I put it quick to him,” said Klein. “In one sentence. And if I get the reaction — his eyes open up and he has this excited look on his face — that’s the first line of defense.”Can you pitch your startup idea in one sentence?<h1 data-selectable-paragraph="">6. What limitations have you left unchallenged in your problem-solving approach?</h1>-Udacity“I’m not in Hyperloop because of the cost of infrastructure,” said Thrun. Digging is expensive.” Instead, “The air is so free and unused compared to the ground.” The hitherto vanguard of autonomous vehicles is taking his imagination to new heights: flying cars.Don’t let anything hold you down. Even gravity. What is limiting your entrepreneurial imagination?<h2 data-selectable-paragraph="">Feel free to tackle one of the questions above in a response below. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Let’s discuss.</h2><BLOCKQUOTE>You finished this piece👏 You got to the end👏 Congrats! Let’s clap!👏 And share with a friend.👏</BLOCKQUOTE>

The following questions were formed from statements made by the following executives during their interviews on the main stage of TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2017: As you grow your company, and its impact…

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The following questions were formed from statements made by the following executives during their interviews on the main stage of TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2017:

<ul><li>Kevin Durant, Principal at The Durant Company </li> </ul>

These are not direct quotes, unless otherwise indicated.

1. “Is this company the type of company that gets better as it gets bigger?”

As you grow your company, and its impact increases upon its city, its nation, and the world: will it be a force for good? Altman pointed out that some companies aren’t meant to grow past a certain size. The sooner you know how big your company should be, the better you’ll be at leading it.

2. What does your product say about your values?

Jackson brought up that if you look closely at the keynote slides of the new iPhone 8 and X, you’ll find in fine print the words Low carbon process . “If we care about something, it shows up in our products,” she said. “This new ‘low carbon process’ is not going to be the headline like the camera, but it’s there.”

What does your product say — or not say — about your values?

“I don’t think of myself as an artist,” said Woods. “The difference between an artist and a designer is the designer is more focused on people.”

As an entrepreneur, your job is to solve problems for real people. This question is a beautiful self-check to make sure you’re actually designing something for real people. Or are you just expressing yourself for your own gratification?

4. If there was one job your product can do that you can’t do with any other existing solution, what would it be?

-Menlo Ventures

Carolan <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/18/index-battlefield-launch/">asked this </a>question to the founder of a project-organizing app called Index. During the co-founder’s pitch, the product came across as general and helpful but not as critical or necessary. Carolan’s question hit upon the importance of focus and niche-targeting.

When you think about your product (or vision), can you answer his question?

5. Can you distill your pitch into one sentence?

-The Durant Company

Durant’s business partner, Richard Klein, is aware of Durant’s time-strapped and hyper-focused basketball schedule and so he communicates investment opportunities to Durant in one sentence pitches. “I put it quick to him,” said Klein. “In one sentence. And if I get the reaction — his eyes open up and he has this excited look on his face — that’s the first line of defense.”

Can you pitch your startup idea in one sentence?

6. What limitations have you left unchallenged in your problem-solving approach?

“I’m not in Hyperloop because of the cost of infrastructure,” said Thrun. Digging is expensive.” Instead, “The air is so free and unused compared to the ground.” The hitherto vanguard of autonomous vehicles is taking his imagination to new heights: flying cars.

Don’t let anything hold you down. Even gravity. What is limiting your entrepreneurial imagination?

Feel free to tackle one of the questions above in a response below. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Let’s discuss.

You finished this piece👏 You got to the end👏 Congrats! Let’s clap!👏 And share with a friend.👏

6 Staggering Questions for Entrepreneurs

Getting better as your company gets bigger

Your product and values

Artist vs designer

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