The Startup Career Accelerator is the go-to newsletter for first-time startup employees who want to navigate chaos, fast-track their growth, and land their first promotion within 12 months. Get practical advice, real-world strategies, and proven frameworks to help you thrive in high-growth, low-structure environments.
The Startup Career Accelerator Advent Calendar -> Week 2
|
7 High-Impact Scripts for Busy Startup Weeks December, like any other hectic time of the year, rewards people who communicate clearly and make decisions easy. This week’s Advent drop gives you 7 copy-paste scripts to cut through the noise. We've got updates that reduce pings, trade-offs that protect priorities, escalation that shows judgment, and 1:1 prompts that get you coaching. How to use it: Copy -> personalise -> send! Pick one script per day... or just choose the two you’ll use all week. The goal isn’t perfect wording; it’s legible, reliable communication under pressure. Day 1 (Mon): The Weekly Update Subject/Top line: [Project/Goal] - status
Day 2 (Tue): ‘Yes, But’ Trade‑Off “Happy to pick this up today. That moves [project Y] to [new date] and shifts [stakeholder]’s timeline. Want me to switch?” Notes: Keeps you helpful and protects priorities. Capture the decision in the thread. Day 3 (Wed): Targeted Feedback Ask “Here’s the approach I took for [X] because [reason]. If you were me, what’s the one thing you’d do differently?” Notes: One question → one answer. Higher response rate than “thoughts?” Day 4 (Thu): Smart Escalation “I’ve spent [time] trying [A/B/C]. Evidence suggests [hypothesis]. Best next step: [proposed fix]. Can you [decide/unblock]?” Notes: Shows judgment and saves time. Day 5 (Fri): Boundary Reset (polite but firm) “I’m offline after [time]. [Deliverable] is scheduled for [date]; risks are flagged in the doc. If priorities shift, I can re‑order first thing tomorrow.” Notes: Clear, calm, reliable. Day 6 (Sat): Self‑Led 1:1 Agenda “Wins: ... Blockers: ... Decisions needed: ... Skill I’m levelling next: ... (what does ‘good’ look like?)” Notes: Drives the meeting; gets you coaching. Day 7 (Sun): Role Outline Share “I drafted a 1‑pager on my decision areas/outputs aligned to [company goals]. Can we review for gaps/overlap in our next 1:1?” Notes: Prevents invisible work and turf confusion. Small habit, big signal: Pick two scripts and reuse them all week. Consistency beats cleverness—and that’s what leaders remember. Thats it! We hope you enjoyed week 2 of the TSCA Advent Calendar edition. Stay tune for part 3 dropping next week. Until next time…Here’s to clarity in the chaos. Hayds & The TSCA Team We share more ideas, resources, and behind-the-scenes insights across our channels: 🔗 LinkedIn 🔗 Website 🔗 Substack |
The Startup Career Accelerator
The Startup Career Accelerator is the go-to newsletter for first-time startup employees who want to navigate chaos, fast-track their growth, and land their first promotion within 12 months. Get practical advice, real-world strategies, and proven frameworks to help you thrive in high-growth, low-structure environments.
Hey Fellow Accelerators, Its the final working week before the festive break and we get it... you’re tired, your calendars are packed, and the impending food coma is calling you. But theres still a few days left and you still want a few wins on the board. well here are seven easy, high-signal moves to finish 2025 strong and roll momentum into Q1... without skipping the celebrations. Day 1 (Mon): The Christmas Eve Founder‑Friendly Update What: The final working week before the break has its...
7 easy, high‑signal experiments to build promotion currency We all know that December attention is as thin as ice, but with end of the year targets looming opinions can get as loud as a crowded pub on Christmas Eve. What cuts through the noise is evidence. This week’s Advent drop gives you 7 tiny experiments you can run in under an hour to build promotion currency: cross-functional context, a living evidence wall, faster references, MVPs, tighter meetings, relationship capital, and...
7 mini frameworks to keep your momentum during the chaotic festive season December’s a juggling act with family commitments, social plans, and year-end pressure at work. All while trying to enjoy the festivities. So this month, TSCA is running 5 simple Advent Calendar style editions for ambitious startup folks. Each Monday, you’ll get 7 tiny, actionable prompts (one for each day). No fluff. No guilt. Just practical ways to stay visible, protect your energy, and end the year with momentum you...