If you’re building a software/social/ecommerce startup, then at one point or another, you have been advised to start in a niche market and expand into the masses. This is solid advice: when your product is focused on a slice of the market, it’s much easier to customize your solution for…
It’s often said that a CEO should focus on three key things: Do I have the right people on the team? Are those people working on the right thing? And is there enough cash in the bank to keep the lights on? The right investor should help a founder with…
It’s the age-old debate among start-up circles: which is more important to the success of a start-up: the strength of the sales/distribution strategy or the quality of the product? On one end of the spectrum, many start-ups think that great products sell themselves, while the other camp argues that it’s…
The easiest path to growth and profit is up, and the most deadly attacks come from below This quote from Clayton M. Christensen’s The Innovator’s Dilemma perfectly encapsulates how startups can find success over incumbents in their markets. Incumbents often look left, right, and above – yet sometimes they’re most vulnerable from…
I’ve noticed a common theme carries across most of the advice I’ve given to entrepreneurs lately, and that’s to s-i-m-p-l-i-f-y. For example: 1. Simplify your vision. If you find yourself rambling for minutes on end, it’s time to reign in your mission statement. Nobody will remember a 2 or 3…
