20 Tips for Startups
from Entrepreneur.com 01 May 15 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz
I’ve been an entrepreneur for as long as I can remember. I’ve had both service-based businesses & product-based businesses. I’ve built teams. I’ve built visions. I’ve taken products to market. I’ve helped raise $Ms of dollars. I’ve lost everything. I’ve had success. I’ve had failure. Here are 20 some lessons, I’ve learned along the way.
1. Take Risks. One of the most exciting parts of being an entrepreneur is the thrill & exhilaration you get from seeing if something works.
2. Answer questions on Quora.com (Q&A Website. Try it) This helps establish your expertise, knowledge & wit. It is also cool to look back at your answers and see how much you’ve grown personally & professionally by re-reading your previous answers.
3. Keep an Idea Journal. Anyone who said ideas aren’t worth anything never had a good idea. Don’t listen to that. I write many ideas every day in my idea journal – as soon as I think of them. If you don’t, there’s a good chance you wont remember them.
4. Network up. Networking “up” can afford you mentorship opportunities, help strengthen your network & help you learn from people who have the success you desire.
5. Network down. You’re going to always have more knowledge & experience than some. Even if you’ve only been an entrepreneur for a short time, there’s an entrepreneur out there that’s only been an entrepreneur for a shorter time – that can use your help. And you’ll learn from it too.
6. Network all around. Your peer group is going to be with you forever. Meet them, learn from them, network with them.
7. Be “open” to Advice. Listening to the advice can be valuable to your business & your life. You have people – who have already gone thru it and they can make your journey easier.
8. Don’t take all the Advice. Listen to the advice and determine if it’s good or applys to your. Use your logic first, then trust your gut for the final decision.
9. Work with People you like, and you’ll will be able to maximize your opportunities, enjoyment & success.
10. Give yourself a Break. Sometimes it’s too easy to work all day & night. Learning to “take a break”, is just as important as working hard. Your brain needs rest – to clear & give you new ideas. A break can give your brain the necessary reset it may need, to help solve the problems you’re facing.
11. Brand yourself. [Not like a cow. Ouch !!!] No matter what you do, it is important to have a strong personal reputation. As an entrepreneur, having an outstanding reputation, will open a lot of doors for you.
12. Don’t have a fit !!! Get fit & stay fit. One of my mentors/business partners sold his business to Richard Branson and has had some pretty wild success. When I asked him the single most important advice he could give me about being an entrepreneur, he said: “Your health is your most important asset. You can be the most successful person in the world, but that won’t matter if you don’t have your health.” On a regular basis, commit time to fitness.
13. Be open to Learning. Entrepreneurship is about solving problems and learning on the go. It’s exciting to learn new things, and as entrepreneurs we should be learning something new every day. That’s part of the joy of entrepreneurship.
14. Use LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a very effective business tool. You can network with pretty much anyone, read blog posts and show off your accomplishments + expertise on your profile. A good way to expand your network.
15. Be an insatiable Reader. Dedicate time to reading blogs, newspapers, magazines & books. Read stuff related & un-related to your business. Read fiction and non-fiction. If you read most everything that interests you, it’ll makes you more intelligent & balanced.
16. Eat Healthy. Food is the energy source for your body. If you eat un-healthily, you’re going to have low energy levels and risk potential health issues. This may jeopardize your business.
17. Get a PT job. If you don’t have regular income coming in from your startup yet, get a job, even if you have support or savings. It will help alleviate your monetary stresses, which can create an unhealthy mental state. You need to be strong as possible to take over the world through business, and the last thing you want to think about is how to pay rent next month. Plus, at your part-time job, you can tell everyone about your new business, and potentially gain users, clients or customers – depending on what type of business you’re creating.
18. Ask for Help. Put your pride aside. Starting a busines is much too tough to do alone. Ask for help. People will respect your willingness to learn and be glad to offer advice.
19. Don’t “ever” give up. If you want to be an entrepreneur, be an entrepreneur. Don’t listen to the nay-sayers. If you fail with one idea, start another. You’re an entrepreneur, no matter what, whether up or down, success or failure, you’re always an entrepreneur – looking for new ideas.
20. Have Fun !!! Do what you want. Build the business & life you’ve always dreamed of. Fun is infectious, and can help attract the right customers, the right team, the right partner and all of the right opportunities.
Comment: Is there anything you can add to this?