About
(No, that's not me. Captures the feeling though, right? Scroll down for information about me.)
Working for Wonka is about surviving in a startup.
Startups can be exhilarating, fast paced, career-making adventures. They can also be mind-numbingly stressful, heart attack inducing, pressure cookers.
If you work in a startup, you know what I’m talking about.
This blog will help you in two ways:
–by providing tips and tool,
–by giving insight into your entrepreneur boss.
Tips and Tools: surviving in a startup and working for an entrepreneur
Working for Wonka provides tips on everything from how to get a job in a startup, to how to communicate effectively with your entrepreneur boss. It also offers practical tools for getting those impossible tasks done, in the impossible time frame you were given to complete them.
For a quick look at some of the tips check out:
- Categories: survive the entrepreneur boss, manage your boss, startup environment, work for a startup
- Resource tab: Content is added to this section regularly, so check back often to see what’s new. Or subscribe to the Working for Wonka Resources email for an update whenever a new product, template or webinar is available. (Most of these are free resources!)
Insight into Your Entrepreneur Boss
Some say information is power. I say insight will keep you from going insane. The more you know about your entrepreneur boss, the better. Like, did you know that scientist identified a novelty seeking gene dating back to the Cro-Magnon era that they believe was the beginning of the entrepreneurial behavior? Or that dyslexia, and other learning disorders, are more common among entrepreneurs than the general population? Fascinating, right?
Well, if you work for an adrenaline seeking, dyslexic, cave man, you might find it more challenging than fascinating. And you may want to some insight into how that boss’s mind works. Or, you might just need a little stress relieving, brain break to get through the day.
If that’s the case you’ll want to check out:
- Categories: entrepreneur management style, entrepreneur characteristics, humor
- Or subscribe to the Working for Wonka Newsletter for a monthly roundup of the best posts, links to relevant news stories, and stuff to take your mind off it all for a few glorious minutes.
That's me. See! I still look sane.
Dance Monkey Dance – About Me
My name is Kathy Ver Eecke and I’ve worked for more entrepreneurs than I care to count. I have the therapy bills to prove it. Over the years I’ve survived working for four entrepreneur bosses from the Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Companies list, and one Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award winner.
I’ve worked for an entrepreneur who was regularly shot at when leaving the office, and an entrepreneur who regularly forgot his shoes.
I’ve worked for companies that went bankrupt, companies that went public and more than one entrepreneur that went postal.
I’ve worked for a boss who threw office furniture, and in an office where the furniture was repossessed. And that was just a typical Tuesday.
Then it hit me. It was my own Groundhogs Day.
The names had changed, but the bizarre (and supremely uncorporate-like) behavior, temperaments and challenges of each entrepreneur boss was eerily familiar. There were patterns. Methods to the madness. Predictability hidden in their seemingly unique behavior.
This blog exposes those patterns. It shows you what to watch out for, and how to survive working for an entrepreneur. If you work for an entrepreneur, good luck. It may be the best experience of your career. Or, you may need to duck and cover.
(On another, less interesting–but I’m told legally imperative–note… here’s a fascinating Disclosure Policy for Working for Wonka.)
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Hmmm, so did they choose you or did you choose them?
I’m a magnet. For entrepreneurs and stray dogs. In some cases, it’s hard to tell them apart.
So, “admin”… who are you? This all seems to be a bit of a tease. You need to give a little more…
Hahahaha! Yes, oh there are so many types, and you hit it on the head that they really are all the same. loco and not so grounded.
And another thing, I understand the necessity of using ‘big name’ entrepreneurs, but I would suggest compiling several ‘small time’ entrepreneurs under the headings of the big ones…cause these people have some crazy quirks.
I have worked for many myself. The best, were the 3 founders of Snapple. They made everyone feel important from the mail room to the executives, but more importantly, they made sure we sold product…every day..not just basking in the glow of seeing their name in some trade publication or a press clipping. They judged their success by how many empty bottles of their product was in the trash outside the deli or at the bus stop…more people drank it!
Which leads me to descibe another classification of entrepreneur I worked for:
“The Emperor’s new clothes” guy..
- his idea is genuis, yet others dont see it the same way
- problems, including serious ones are remedied by a good fluffy press release and that fan club e-mail he gets; you know the one that some consumer told your neighbor that they liked your product..whew, financial crisis averted
- The only reality is in their own mind, example…we’ve opened up hundreds of new accounts just this week, neglecting to acknowledge you lost the ones you opened last week.
- There is no such thing as a legitimate negative reaction to your product…”they just don’t get it”
- They hire people with tons of experience in the industry, yet they feel obligated to tell you the “right way” to do things. So much for 20 years in the trenches
- Rome is burning, they have real problems so, let’s do a photo shoot for an innovation magazine that has a ciculation of 10 people who get it for free.
- “Hey, did you see everyone with our new product at that event..they loved it! (yeah, it was free, it was handed to them and someone snapped their photo before they could find a place to put it down)
Bob: you’re incredibly insightful, and your examples are DEAD on! I’ve heard rumor of these mythical good-entrepreneurs from Snapple. Kinda like unicorns for me.
Sometimes we have to take a look at life and simply laugh. Wwe are faced daily with the harsh realities of the world and the on-goign stresses of the work-place! I have been on both sides of the coin having worked in the corporate world for a decade and then opening my own business. When you own you company you have clients and people you must still answer to. Many I find need a prescription for Paxil, others a sheer delight to work with.
Having experienced a few of the character types: ie: over bearing female boss that treats other women like crap, male boss that wanted to sleep with me, over-demanding and unrealistic corporate climber who just wanted to shine at any cost including my departments overexhaustion and lastly, the slacker that did nothing except look busy but let everyone else do the work and take the credit.
Instead of leanign on alcohol at the end of a horrible day or going postal, i think it great to have a forum or site where employees can learn from others, vent and share experiences. Kudos on the site!
Sorry for the “typos.” As fate would have it, tried to write here while waiting for a demanding client that is ALWAYS 30 miniutes late and then just storms into my office as he JUST did. Have a great day!
The first paragraph you wrote -”having the therapy bills to prove it” – in reference to working for entrepreneurs – couldn’t have hit me any harder ( ; glad to know I’m not the only one!
Happy to hear that I’m not alone. Maybe we can get group discounts with the Doc!
Thanks for visiting.