Instead of presenting information that can be read in an email, a successful founder sent updates beforehand. This freed up meeting time for strategic discussions on product, capital, and hiring, which accelerated the company's growth.
Instead of hiring based on network or general talent, Applied Intuition's founders strategically assessed the biggest technical and knowledge risks facing the company. They then hired their first employees specifically to mitigate those existential threats.
Kasser Yunus of Applied Intuition had a non-negotiable checklist for his startup idea (e.g., software margins, not easily commoditized). He patiently evaluated ideas for over a year, refusing to pursue any that didn't meet all his conditions.