Three Things I Wish I Had Known in My 20’s: Donna Novitsky

Donna Novitsky is no stranger to the world of Silicon Valley start-ups.

Depending on how you count them, Yiftee is Donna’s 3^rd or 19^th start-up. In addition to being CEO, she teaches marketing to engineers and entrepreneurs at Stanford University! Previously, she was a partner at a leading venture capital firm.

So what exactly is Yiftee? It is pretty cool! The app and website allow customers to purchase gifts for their friends and loved ones from the local shops and restaurants they love, whether they are down the street or 3,000 miles away.

Oh and no big deal, but as of the beginning of the year, Yiftee had raised $2.1M in funding.

Below are the “3 Things” Donna has learned along the way:

1. Ask for it.
Yes, you do great work. You know it. Your mom knows it. Your boss probably knows it. But don’t expect him or her to remember it when it comes time for promotions, bonuses and public recognition. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. If you want that promotion/bonus/award, ask for it.

2. Just do it.
Everyone’s busy, especially in an entrepreneurial venture. Look around – are there interesting things to do that would increase revenue, improve customer satisfaction, decrease costs or somehow grow the business? Think broadly about what the business needs, share your ideas with your boss and suggest that you take on these new challenges – on top of what you are already doing. Yes, I said take on more work. You will learn, your job will be more interesting, and you will increase your value to the company. Then, see #1.

3. Always sell.
Life is sales. But sales is not pushing your product on someone else. It is understanding where someone is coming from, where they want to go and proposing how you can help them get there, in ways that are mutually beneficial. This applies not just to driving revenue but to getting things done in business and life. You need to “get the order” first in order to have the choice to take it or not (this could apply to #2). You are always better off having this choice than giving it to someone else because you didn’t do a good job selling.