Every now and then I post on twitter “Startup Lessons”, quick posts about startups and entrepreneurship based on my own experience and that of friends. Twitter is great for this because in a 140 chars you have to articulate a clear idea, kinda like pitching.
So far I’ve posted 33 startup lessons and when I reach 100, I plan to write something for each on this blog. Here they are:
#1: Don’t guess. Measure everything. Tweet it
#2: Firing people is difficult, but your startup comes first. Do it quickly. Tweet it
#3: Make decisions by consensus, but also make sure that everyone knows you (CEO) have the final say. Tweet it
#4: The only thing that matters is your product. Focus on making it great. Tweet it
#5: Your future depends on traction. Don’t wait for users to come to you. Go and recruit them one by one. Tweet it
#6: Development speed is everything. Keep your initial product simple so you can ship and fix problems quickly. Tweet it
#7: Startups are hard. Inspire your team to achieve the impossible. Tweet it
#8: Your number one objective is revenue. Don’t get distracted by hype. No money, no Honey. Tweet it
#9: Listen to experts, but trust your intuition. Tweet it
#10: Prepare yourself. Don’t underestimate the amount of grunt work required to build something that is lasting. Tweet it
#11: To launch a tech startup is fundamentally a leap of faith. The odds are against you. Don’t think, Do. Tweet it
#12: Understand your strengths and weaknesses. Most startups inherit the strengths and weaknesses of their founders. Tweet it
#13: Stop thinking, Stop learning, Start doing. Keep doing until it works out. If it works out. It might not. Tweet it
#14: You can never be 100% ready. Just start. Tweet it
#15: You’re old. You have no capital. You will fail. Ignore the naysayers. Trust your instinct. Tweet it
#16: Perseverance is faith. You got to believe to keep on going. Keep the faith. Tweet it
#17: Iterate continuously until you get it right. Tweet it
#18: Whether you’re raising money, getting a user to sign up or seeking talent, everyone likes a good story. Tweet it
#19: What separates you and success is the bullshit you tell yourself about why you can’t achieve it. Tweet it
#20: The easiest thing to do when things aren’t working is to give up. Don’t, make it happen. Tweet it
#21: Hire slowly and fire quickly.
#22: Customer service is key. Always try to please. It will propel you ahead of the competition. Tweet it
#23: Funding is important, but the real funders are the marketplace and your customers.
#24: Choosing investors is like marriage. Pick an investor that will be a den mother & cheerleader. Tweet it
#25: Nobody Is Going to Steal Your Startup Idea. Share it. Tweet it
#26: Find Mentors. Love your Mentors. Engage your Mentors. Tweet it
#27: Build a team that complements your skills and personality. Tweet it
#28: Entrepreneurs love to talk. Learn to listen to your customers, staff, mentors and investors. Tweet it
#29: Forget business plans. Its a bunch of untested guesses. Get validation from customers. Tweet it
#30: The details are not just details. They make the product. Tweet it
#31: Good sales equals good conversation. Find ways to talk with your customers. Tweet it
#32: When selling your product don’t sell “what” you do, but “why” you do it. Tweet it
#33: Entrepreneurs that Do vs. those that Don’t? Simple: Drive to succeed & persistence to get there. Tweet it
Let me know when one you like and maybe we can turn it into t-shirt.
