We often get asked what its like to start a company from scratch. We took the new year to reflect on our first 6 months, in which we launched and began working full-time at Holstee. Our key learnings are highlighted below. While they are not ground breaking, they are lessons will help us in 2010 and beyond. THE NUMBERS Digging into financials are not fun (especially in the beginning), but they are important reality checks and a key to allowing Holstee to continue. This doesn’t mean letting them to cloud plans, but it does mean openly analyzing and discussing them. PLANNING & TIMING Our project planning is typically accurate for the first 80% of a project but the last 20% is consistently the most challenging to predict. We need to plan like everything will take twice as long and cost twice as much. This is even more true if it's the first time we're doing something. The old adage: 'Cheap, Good, Fast; pick two' continues to be valid. COLLABORATING We've been fortunate to attract + work with some amazing folks. Even still, we should never shy away from asking for references.  Once we've found the right people, we will empower every contributor by allowing them to set their own objectives and time lines, and we will work together to meet them. LOOKING FORWARD Reviewing long term goals weekly will help keep things that really matter from getting buried by daily activities. Even within our small team a check-in and check-out every week keeps our days productive and fulfilling. Creating a to-do list for the day before checking email is the key to a successful day. While reflecting on the previous year, we realized most importantly that we have much to be thankful for: we're building a company that truly reflects our values, we get to work with our best friends in a truly sweet space, and it all happens in the world's greatest city. We may not be rich, but, as my mom would say its more important to be "rich at heart."