When starting a project kick-off with another company, there are several key steps to ensure the meeting is effective and efficient. Here are the key things to do, based on the insights from Matt Mochary:

1. Define Clear Goals and Outcomes: Determine the desired outcomes of the project, which should be stated as clear, achievable goals. Prioritize these goals and decide on the timeframes for achieving them. Remember to focus on no more than three work goals and one personal goal to maintain focus (Goals: how to create and review).

2. Prepare and Distribute Pre-Work: Ensure that all updates are pre-written and submitted 24 hours before the meeting. Ask all participants to pre-read and pre-comment on each other's updates to increase efficiency during the meeting (Meetings: How to make them effective and efficient).

3. Assign Roles for the Meeting: Designate a meeting owner, who will drive the agenda, start the meeting on time, and keep discussions focused. Identify active participants who will engage in the discussion, and observers who are there to be informed (Run efficient meetings that don’t suck | Coaching Founder).

4. Time-Box Agenda Items: Allocate specific time slots for each agenda item to prevent the meeting from running over and to ensure all issues are addressed. If decisions cannot be made within the allocated time, schedule a follow-up (Meetings: How to make them effective and efficient).

5. Create Immediate Action Items: Convert discussions and decisions into specific actions with directly responsible individuals (DRIs) and due dates. This ensures accountability and progress tracking (Meetings: How to make them effective and efficient).

6. Use a Tracker: Implement a system to track the progress of action items, such as ClickUp, Monday, Asana, a Google Sheet, or Notion (Meetings: How to make them effective and efficient).

7. Review Goals Regularly: Set up a regular cadence, such as weekly or monthly, to review goals and assess progress. This helps maintain momentum and adjust actions as needed (Goals: how to create and review).

8. Ensure Transparency: Share clear notes of all updates and decisions made during the meeting with the company. This keeps everyone informed and fosters a transparent culture (The Great CEO Within).

9. Encourage Feedback: At the end of the meeting, collect feedback from participants to understand how future meetings can be improved. Address this feedback in the next meeting (Run efficient meetings that don’t suck | Coaching Founder).

10. Onboard Effectively: If the project involves new team members, ensure they are onboarded effectively with all the necessary information and resources to contribute fully from the start (The Great CEO Within).

By following these steps, you can set up a project kick-off that is structured, goal-oriented, and maximizes the engagement and productivity of all participants.