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I am looking for your advice on how not to fail, learn and launch a profitable startup.
What are your advice, and good sources of learning?
In short, how to start a successful startup?
2) Make sure you are good at sales BEFORE you quit your job (and that you've sold stuff)
3) MOST businesses fail because they don't have enough revenue, not because of product or people.
Resources/ books:
* The E-Myth
* All the stuff written by the Basecamp guys
* Jim Collins books
* Creativity Inc
1) Start your business BEFORE you quit your job 2) Make sure you are good at sales BEFORE you quit your job (and that you've sold stuff) 3) MOST businesses fail because they don't have enough revenue, not because of product or people. Resources/ books: * The E-Myth * All the stuff written by the Basecamp guys * Jim Collins books * Creativity Inc
I absolutely second this, but I would add a crucial section 1.5.
1.5) Also secure a seed-round to kick-start your company to test the for market fit. Then hire a few employees.
If after the seed-round it is either profitable or succeeds in the market and gets more investment, then it makes sense to quit your job and work full time for the startup.
1) Start your business BEFORE you quit your job 2) Make sure you are good at sales BEFORE you quit your job (and that you've sold stuff) 3) MOST businesses fail because they don't have enough revenue, not because of product or people. Resources/ books: * The E-Myth * All the stuff written by the Basecamp guys * Jim Collins books * Creativity Inc
1) Start your business BEFORE you quit your job 2) Make sure you are good at sales BEFORE you quit your job (and that you've sold stuff) 3) MOST businesses fail because they don't have enough revenue, not because of product or people. Resources/ books: * The E-Myth * All the stuff written by the Basecamp guys * Jim Collins books * Creativity Inc
I am not good at sales. Should I learn selling or hire someone who is excellent at selling things?
"There are two reasons founders resist going out and recruiting users individually. One is a combination of shyness and laziness. They'd rather sit at home writing code than go out and talk to a bunch of strangers and probably be rejected by most of them. But for a startup to succeed, at least one founder (usually the CEO) will have to spend a lot of time on sales and marketing. [2]"
...
"[2] Thanks to Sam Altman for suggesting I make this explicit. And no, you can't avoid doing sales by hiring someone to do it for you. You have to do sales yourself initially. Later you can hire a real salesperson to replace you."
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I am not good at sales. Should I learn selling or hire someone who is excellent at selling things?
From http://paulgraham.com/ds.html — "There are two reasons founders resist going out and recruiting users individually. One is a combination of shyness and laziness. They'd rather sit at home writing code than go out and talk to a bunch of strangers and probably be rejected by most of them. But for a startup to succeed, at least one founder (usually the CEO) will have to spend a lot of time on sales and marketing. […
1) Start your business BEFORE you quit your job 2) Make sure you are good at sales BEFORE you quit your job (and that you've sold stuff) 3) MOST businesses fail because they don't have enough revenue, not because of product or people. Resources/ books: * The E-Myth * All the stuff written by the Basecamp guys * Jim Collins books * Creativity Inc
> 1) Start your business BEFORE you quit your job I absolutely second this, but I would add a crucial section 1.5. 1.5) Also secure a seed-round to kick-start your company to test the for market fit. Then hire a few employees. If after the seed-round it is either profitable or succeeds in the market and gets more investment, then it makes sense to quit your job and work full time for the startup.
1) Start your business BEFORE you quit your job 2) Make sure you are good at sales BEFORE you quit your job (and that you've sold stuff) 3) MOST businesses fail because they don't have enough revenue, not because of product or people. Resources/ books: * The E-Myth * All the stuff written by the Basecamp guys * Jim Collins books * Creativity Inc
I am not good at sales. Should I learn selling or hire someone who is excellent at selling things?