Why Two-Week Sprints Are Hurting Your Startup
Traditional Agile methods can be deadly for startups. Introducing Shape Up: work in 6-week chunks, focus on key elements, and avoid endless sprints. It's not perfect, but it's helped dozens of startups find their footing.
Last month, a founder called me in panic mode. "Paul, we've burned through half our seed round, and our MVP isn't even close to done. What are we doing wrong?" I see this all too often. You have a brilliant idea, some funding, and endless enthusiasm. Then reality hits: building software is messy, timelines slip, and suddenly, your runway looks more like a short pier. Look, I get it. I've been there too. After 20 years of building products and watching startups struggle, I've picked up a few tricks. Last year, we got Agent Inbox from whiteboard to working software in just 60 days. Not because w...