Any good business relies on a couple of core processes. They are the anchor for daily operations, and help everyone understand what to expect of each other. Especially in the chaos of startup land, it's of utmost importance to build and protect your processes. That doesn't mean that they cannot change. Any good process is scrutinized often to make it even better. What worked yesterday may not work tomorrow. Situations change, people change, tools change. These are 5 of the core processes in our startup. They are not all our core processes, nor will they forever remain the same. We'd love it if you can help us improve our processes, and at the same take another critical look at your own processes. You can always find us on Twitter: @FloownHQ

1. to our STARTUP
and the (FREE!) tools we use for them
5 PROCESSES VITAL

2. first things first

3. • the ones that enhance the work you're doing as an organization
• the ones that simply slow everything down
two kinds of processes

4. • the ones that enhance the work you're doing as an organization
• the ones that simply slow everything down
It's not always easy to distinguish between those two
processes. Because sometimes it's not that
obvious.
two kinds of processes

5. • the ones that enhance the work you're doing as an organization
• the ones that simply slow everything down
It's not always easy to distinguish between those two
processes. Because sometimes it's not that
obvious.
And at other times there are forces (read: people) at
work by either doing their utmost best to mask the
complete lack of effectiveness of a bad process or
by doing their utmost best to destroy the real intrinsic
effectiveness of a solid process.
two kinds of processes

6. learn to separate
the person from the process and identify how the two
act at their most core self

7. learn to separate
the person from the process and identify how the two
act at their most core self
“it's how we've always done it”

8. learn to separate
the person from the process and identify how the two
act at their most core self
“it's how we've always done it”
“it was taught to me that way”

9. learn to separate
the person from the process and identify how the two
act at their most core self
“it's how we've always done it”
“it was taught to me that way”
“i don’t know why we do it like that,
but we’ve never had complaints”

10. learn to separate
the person from the process and identify how the two
act at their most core self
“it's how we've always done it”
“it was taught to me that way”
“i don’t know why we do it like that,
but we’ve never had complaints”
HARD WORKING SAVIOR

11. learn to separate
the person from the process and identify how the two
act at their most core self
“it's how we've always done it”
BAD PROCESS
“it was taught to me that way”
“i don’t know why we do it like that,
but we’ve never had complaints”
HARD WORKING SAVIOR

12. learn to separate
the person from the process and identify how the two
act at their most core self

13. learn to separate
the person from the process and identify how the two
act at their most core self
“oh, i didn’t know the deadline was today”

14. learn to separate
the person from the process and identify how the two
act at their most core self
“oh, i didn’t know the deadline was today”
“but this file format works fine too right?”

15. learn to separate
the person from the process and identify how the two
act at their most core self
“oh, i didn’t know the deadline was today”
“but this file format works fine too right?”
“so what was this meeting about again?”

16. learn to separate
the person from the process and identify how the two
act at their most core self
“oh, i didn’t know the deadline was today”
“but this file format works fine too right?”
“so what was this meeting about again?”
GOOD PROCESS

17. learn to separate
the person from the process and identify how the two
act at their most core self
“oh, i didn’t know the deadline was today”
STUBBORN FOOL
“but this file format works fine too right?”
“so what was this meeting about again?”
GOOD PROCESS

18. the good process

19. • great processes become a second nature
• are scrutinized often and never perfect
logical, simple, direct

20. • great processes become a second nature
• are scrutinized often and never perfect
Implementing good processes takes time and is
often a process in itself. Don’t expect perfection.
logical, simple, direct

21. • great processes become a second nature
• are scrutinized often and never perfect
Implementing good processes takes time and is
often a process in itself. Don’t expect perfection.
Especially at a startup there are many moving parts
(read: people, tools, resources). Processes therefore
should be fluid and open to change. At the same
time a few core processes also serve as the anchor
for daily operations. Those should be protected.
logical, simple, direct

22. our core processes

23. 1.

24. eat, sleep, test, repeat.

25. Let’s look at the most essential proces going on in
any tech startup: the development process. If
you’ve been following us, you should know that we
believe in this thing called ‘on demand work’. It’s an
efficient way of working, especially for a startup.
eat, sleep, test, repeat.

26. Let’s look at the most essential proces going on in
any tech startup: the development process. If
you’ve been following us, you should know that we
believe in this thing called ‘on demand work’. It’s an
efficient way of working, especially for a startup.
Our developers work together with different people
from around the world, and use Github to keep
everyone on the same page.
eat, sleep, test, repeat.

27. eat, sleep, test, repeat.

28. When we’ve actually built something, the real fun
begins: testing, testing and testing. And after that,
testing some more. It’s the modus operandi of every
startup. If only there was a way to categorize bugs
and keep a good overview of who encountered
which bug. Well, fear not. We’ve found that Trello is
great for exactly that.
eat, sleep, test, repeat.

29. When we’ve actually built something, the real fun
begins: testing, testing and testing. And after that,
testing some more. It’s the modus operandi of every
startup. If only there was a way to categorize bugs
and keep a good overview of who encountered
which bug. Well, fear not. We’ve found that Trello is
great for exactly that.
And this might be a no-brainer, but use Skype or
Screenhero for quick meetings. The latter is the
preferred option for when you like to work in your
jammies. Make sure you’ve closed those NSFW tabs
though before accepting the Screenhero invite.
eat, sleep, test, repeat.

30. 2.

31. general communication

32. Communication may seem simple, but a lack of it is
often a big problem for organizations. That’s
because we all assume too much. We assume that
someone is in the loop or that certain information is
shared and therefore common knowledge, but that’s
exactly the problem. We assume and assumption
is the mother of all f*ck-ups.
general communication

33. general communication

34. Communication comes from the Latin communicare,
which literally means ‘to make common’. So when it
comes to communication, sharing is caring.
general communication

35. Communication comes from the Latin communicare,
which literally means ‘to make common’. So when it
comes to communication, sharing is caring.
When it comes to big discussions, email is still our
number one pick. Take the time to write down your
thoughts and send the mail when you feel the
message is clear. When we work, we mainly use
Slack. We know, it’s the industries darling but there’s
a reason for that. It works. It’s easy to create different
channels and to keep track of all the discussions
within your organization. You can give quick updates
or share files. And use giphy if you like totally random
and often disturbing gifs popping up in your channel.
general communication

36. general communication

37. And of course, don’t forget good old Whatsapp. It’s
still a great way to share information, but we
admittedly use it to discuss more informal topics.
general communication

38. And of course, don’t forget good old Whatsapp. It’s
still a great way to share information, but we
admittedly use it to discuss more informal topics.
Nonetheless a good way to keep everyone on board,
because all work and no play makes us dull boys.
general communication

39. And of course, don’t forget good old Whatsapp. It’s
still a great way to share information, but we
admittedly use it to discuss more informal topics.
Nonetheless a good way to keep everyone on board,
because all work and no play makes us dull boys.
general communication

40. hold up, wait

41. we’re about to share an exclusive in-
depth look into our processes
just push the button underneath to make
sure you get it into your mailbox for FREE
get ready for the next episode
I WANT THE GOOD STUFF!

42. 3.

43. content creation & sharing

44. So we’ve got the internal communication covered.
But we mustn’t forget to also communicate with the
people outside of our organization. Usually referred
to as customers.
content creation & sharing

45. So we’ve got the internal communication covered.
But we mustn’t forget to also communicate with the
people outside of our organization. Usually referred
to as customers.
Luckily, there are literally a million ways to do
this.
content creation & sharing

46. content creation & sharing

47. Let’s start with the traditional channels. You need
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and… okay, maybe throw
Google+ in the mix just to be sure. But don’t sweat it,
there’s no need to micromanage all those
different channels.
content creation & sharing

48. Let’s start with the traditional channels. You need
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and… okay, maybe throw
Google+ in the mix just to be sure. But don’t sweat it,
there’s no need to micromanage all those
different channels.
Use Buffer to schedule posts upfront and manage
the channels you want to use at that moment.
content creation & sharing

49. Let’s start with the traditional channels. You need
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and… okay, maybe throw
Google+ in the mix just to be sure. But don’t sweat it,
there’s no need to micromanage all those
different channels.
Use Buffer to schedule posts upfront and manage
the channels you want to use at that moment.
Don’t forget that all channels weren’t created
equal. So don’t post a tweet with hashtags on
Facebook people. Just don’t do that anymore.
#StopIt. #Now.
content creation & sharing

50. content creation & sharing

51. And then there’s the matter of content. These days
everyone can shoot proper pictures and movies with
their phone. Most of the time, those phones already
offer good editing software and if not, you can
always turn to the web or your desktop. Use
Picmonkey, iMovie, Pixlr or Soundcloud for all your
multimedia creations. Even Twitter has its own editing
tool nowadays.
content creation & sharing

52. And then there’s the matter of content. These days
everyone can shoot proper pictures and movies with
their phone. Most of the time, those phones already
offer good editing software and if not, you can
always turn to the web or your desktop. Use
Picmonkey, iMovie, Pixlr or Soundcloud for all your
multimedia creations. Even Twitter has its own editing
tool nowadays.
Always keep in mind though that people will not
just like your content or follow you for no reason.
So don’t use these channels to just blatantly spam
people. Always add value by creating insightful or
entertaining content.
content creation & sharing

53. 4.

54. collaborative documentation

55. Do you remember those big, grey file cabinets that
used to occupy every office a few years ago? Let us
thank the gods, the old ones and the new ones, that
documents are digital now.
collaborative documentation

56. Do you remember those big, grey file cabinets that
used to occupy every office a few years ago? Let us
thank the gods, the old ones and the new ones, that
documents are digital now.
Also, we love trees!
collaborative documentation

57. collaborative documentation

58. Let’s face it. Everybody hates paperwork, but it’s a
necessary evil. You need to document certain
processes and work strategies for future
employees or to fall back on when things become
unclear. It’s the first step to create structure for your
company.
collaborative documentation

59. Let’s face it. Everybody hates paperwork, but it’s a
necessary evil. You need to document certain
processes and work strategies for future
employees or to fall back on when things become
unclear. It’s the first step to create structure for your
company.
How to make a digital file cabinet you ask? Well, we
like to use Google Drive. We know, Google has
become an omnipotent behemoth by now and
basically George Orwell’s worst nightmare, but
they do make great things. And privacy is overrated
anyway. Or not, we’re a bit conflicted about that.
collaborative documentation

60. collaborative documentation

61. Anyway, it’s easy to create and share documents on
Google Drive and to work together on documents. Or
spreadsheets. Or presentations. Or forms. Just
anything basically. You can insert comments, give
feedback and once everybody’s happy, you can
finalize the document.
collaborative documentation

62. Anyway, it’s easy to create and share documents on
Google Drive and to work together on documents. Or
spreadsheets. Or presentations. Or forms. Just
anything basically. You can insert comments, give
feedback and once everybody’s happy, you can
finalize the document.
You can even maintain the file cabinet structure by
creating different maps and sub-maps on the Drive
and decide who you want to share those maps with.
Oh yes, where would we be without Google?
Working on an AltaVista Drive probably.
collaborative documentation

63. 5.

64. presenting… presentations

65. So, recently we’ve stumbled upon this nice new way
of sharing presentations. It’s called Slideshare,
maybe you’ve heard of it? Trust us, they might be
onto something there.
presenting… presentations

66. So, recently we’ve stumbled upon this nice new way
of sharing presentations. It’s called Slideshare,
maybe you’ve heard of it? Trust us, they might be
onto something there.
No really..!
presenting… presentations

67. presenting… presentations

68. Presentations are the way to go when you want to
convey something that involves a couple of different
steps or want to create an overview of a difficult
topic. Like a handy list of things you could use for
free when starting a startup. Or some tips and
tricks to help you survive the next ten years.
presenting… presentations

69. Presentations are the way to go when you want to
convey something that involves a couple of different
steps or want to create an overview of a difficult
topic. Like a handy list of things you could use for
free when starting a startup. Or some tips and
tricks to help you survive the next ten years.
But they’re also great for presenting more complex
ideas internally. You can usually click through a
Slideshare in a few minutes and still come away
with a different point of view.
presenting… presentations

70. presenting… presentations

71. First thing you need to create a Slideshare though, is
coffee. It’s the fuel on which we run and you’re going
to need it for the first brainstorm session. Don’t
overthink it, decide which topic you want to discuss
and go to work.
presenting… presentations

72. First thing you need to create a Slideshare though, is
coffee. It’s the fuel on which we run and you’re going
to need it for the first brainstorm session. Don’t
overthink it, decide which topic you want to discuss
and go to work.
You’re gonna need some content so do the research.
Luckily, that’s never been easier. JFGI. But what’s
matter without form? A question for the philosophers,
that’s for sure. Aristotle would agree that you need
some visuals to keep people interested. Because
often it’s not about what you say, but more about how
you say it. An old cliche, but cliches are cliches for a
reason. Another good cliche.
presenting… presentations

73. presenting… presentations

74. For the visuals, Pixlr and Keynote should help you
come a long way. Share early drafts on Slack for
some feedback from your team or ask your
colleagues to comment on your content using
Google Drive.
presenting… presentations

75. For the visuals, Pixlr and Keynote should help you
come a long way. Share early drafts on Slack for
some feedback from your team or ask your
colleagues to comment on your content using
Google Drive.
Once you’re finished and happy about the final
result, use your social media channels to spread
the good word on your creation.
presenting… presentations

76. the foundation

77. • we understand the value of meeting people face-to-face and the
benefit of everyone working together in the same office
• but we also love new technology
is social productivity

78. • we understand the value of meeting people face-to-face and the
benefit of everyone working together in the same office
• but we also love new technology
We are big ambassadors for the future of work and
adopt a lot of new technologies to enhance our lives.
We are a resilient bunch of on demand
professionals, working from any location at any
time. But it would be a mistake to think that you can
build a business while hanging on the couch with
your laptop in your sweatpants.
is social productivity

79. is social productivity

80. Technology has changed the way we live substantially
and the next 10 years will disrupt our lives and the way
we work even more. People will take charge of their
lives and manage it the way they want to. Our time, or
more precisely, our availability will become more
important than our possessions in this new economy.
is social productivity

81. Technology has changed the way we live substantially
and the next 10 years will disrupt our lives and the way
we work even more. People will take charge of their
lives and manage it the way they want to. Our time, or
more precisely, our availability will become more
important than our possessions in this new economy.
The problem however is that most companies are still
streets behind when it comes to this. They want to own
their employees and decide when they need to work,
even when they cannot guarantee any form of job
security. That’s why it’s time to turn the table and
make the individual the focal point of work and life.
Instead of planning your days around your work, plan
your work around your life.
is social productivity

82. is social productivity

83. Until now, a platform to facilitate this new way of
working and living wasn’t available. That’s why we
took it upon us to build such a platform and we’re
closing in on the release date as we speak. If you
feel that time is slipping away while your working
or want to take control over your life, follow us
and sign up for the early release.
is social productivity

84. Until now, a platform to facilitate this new way of
working and living wasn’t available. That’s why we
took it upon us to build such a platform and we’re
closing in on the release date as we speak. If you
feel that time is slipping away while your working
or want to take control over your life, follow us
and sign up for the early release.
is social productivity
GIVE ME EARLY ACCESS

85. “It's sad that we live in a society that has
the refrain 'thank God it's Friday'. That
means you despise 5/7ths of your life”
- Wendell Berry
Always Know Who’s Available

86. FOLLOW US
@FLOOWNHQ
Always Know Who’s Available