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So About Our Product...

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“With no marketing budget I resorted to techniques I would have never considered – cold calling, cold emailing, cold presentations, and crashing networking events, amongst others.” 

To spread the word to customers in a big company, the marketing department gets the big bucks to make sure the sales team is out there busting down doors to grow the business. And since chances are the brand or product already has recognition, the marketing helps reiterate and boost the brand in the market. The huge marketing budget pales in comparison to the return on the investment.

In a startup on the other hand, every employee – from founder to developer to gopher needs to be a marketer and a salesperson. The thick skin each employee will develop after hearing constant rejections will only make the value proposition stronger.

This article by Anita Newton goes deeper into the comparison! It's a good read especially if you are making the transition from big company to small, or vice versa.

Key Startup Lesson: Use inexpensive methods of marketing and PR that all team members can use help grow the business.

Tell us about your experiences marketing in your startup in the comments below. 

This comic and post is from the book: Cheating on Your Corporate Job: A Comic Look at the Startup Dream. Read the review on Forbes.com. You can get the book on Amazon Kindle or PDF. Use the code "fifty" to get a 50% discount on the PDF.

Entrepreneur's Palm Reading: Certain Uncertainties

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What would you do if you knew, right now, how successful your startup would be in the future?

If  you knew it wouldn't be successful, would you still pursue the entrepreneurial journey? 

And if you knew it would be successful, would you work as hard at it, or just leave it to fate?

We all know there isn't a sure shot way to determine the success. Many times, success comes from the toughest challenges and the deepest trenches and at other times, when you least expect it.

One way to get more insight into your future potential to succeed - look at your entrepreneurial characteristics.  You may find a dichotomy of traits: most successful entrepreneurs seem to have a mix of seemingly opposing traits:
  • A loner yet collaborative 
  • Loves and hates to leverage money
  • Simultaneously the smartest and most foolish person in a room
  • Silent yet determined
  • Cautious yet risk-taking
  • Eager yet calculated
  • Analytical yet creative
  • Optimistic yet realistic
  • Filled with humility and confidence
  • Lives in the present, yet relishes the future
So what does your palmist say about your future? Will you have many failed startups, or are you working on the golden egg?

What are the traits that will propel you to the next level of your venture? Let us know in the comments below.

Building a Startup Empire

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"Rome wasn't built in a day either..."

I first saw this unapologetic declaration on a billboard sign on a highway that is perennially under construction. And it always reminds me that startups have to be treated the same way.

Entrepreneurs and wantrepreneurs approach creating a startup empire differently.  Firstly, what's a wantrepreneur? They are the eager beavers who may look, act, and seem like entrepreneurs - but all without owning an actual business!

Let's examine the wantrepreneur scenario when building a startup empire:
  1. This is the one…the idea of the century!" Wantrepreneurs rarely focus on the problem to solve. 
  2. "Oooooh features! I love features!" Wantrepreneurs don't create a foundation and work incrementally, but instead fast forward and jump in the deep end before learning to swim. 
  3. "I'll just whip together the business in no time!" Wantrepreneurs always underestimate the time it takes to grow a business. 
  4. "If you build it they will come." Wantrepreneurs believe the only thing stopping them from customers, is the lack of product. 
  5. "Money… I'll figure it out later." Wantrepreneurs severely minimize the needed funding for their projects.
To build an empire you need a foundation, vision, support, and patience. Serial entrepreneurs know this; it is second nature to them. As they move with tremendous speed, they know they have to learn to walk before they run. A scalable, repeatable business model is necessary before expanding too big or out of reach.

How do you approach building an empire? Let us know in the comments below.

Age is just a number...

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The typical laws against age discrimination revolve around older workers. 

 "The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) only forbids age discrimination against people who are age 40 or older. It does not protect workers under the age of 40, although some states do have laws that protect younger workers from age discrimination."

However, we live in new a day and age where we constantly hear about the millennial founders breaking the bank after jumping into the startup deep end, and we simultaneously hear about the newly appointed corporate CEOs with over 40 years of work experience at a large company.  And naturally there is a bias for anyone who doesn't fit this mold.

I've witnessed both sides of this new era of ageism:

In a corporate role, I met a business partner in-person after one year of a virtual work environment. Although he treated me with respect on the phone for the whole year, when we finally met in person, he said "I had no idea you were so young; you sound much older and authoritative".  Subsequent phone meetings were much more callous, until he was reminded I was in charge.

In the startup world, I have attended events where someone in their 30s or 40s could feel like an octogenarian. The unmarried, 20-somethings were participating in all night-hackathons, juggling multiple business ventures, saving on rent by living with their parents, all fueled by their Red Bull-infused lives.  Many of the older attendees naturally shied away from this chaotic bunch of youngsters, and vice versa.  And in a recent article, there seems to be evidence that even VCs prefer younger founders, and the reasons include flexibility and frugality.

Of course, the lesson from these stories is that age should not be the reason you don't get a role that you really want.  By focusing on the skills and attitude required for a role, you can send clear signals that you match the profile.  Eventually, no one remembers your age, just your abilities and impact.  And don't forget all the role models that have defied conventional wisdom about age.

Have you experienced this new "age" of discrimination? Let us know about it in the comments below.

An Entrepreneur: The Fixing Machine

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Attention budding entrepreneurs: How handy are you with tools?
Are you ready to get down and dirty and fix what needs it? I hate to break it to you but you have to be ready. Starting a company requires you to have the tools to fix anything that's broken, coupled with the patience to make it happen.  Just as I have a reliable toolkit at home, to fix the leaks, creaks and freaks at my house, an entrepreneur must be able to do that for their own venture.

As Sir Richard Branson said: "Your decision will not always be the best decision. Everyone makes mistakes, but the best thing you can do in the face of a mistake is own up to it. Honesty isn’t just the best policy, it’s the only policy. When a mistake is made, don’t let it consume you. Uncover the problem and get to work on fixing it."

So what are the components that should be in your toolkit?
  1. Blue Prints - Make a plan for the future
  2. Level - Level your expectations
  3. Nail - Nail down your value proposition
  4. Ruler - Size up the market
  5. Saw - Cut through the clutter
  6. Pliers - Get a grip
  7. Wrench - Tighten a hold on your market
  8. Hammer - Knock down obstacles
  9. Screwdriver - Don't screw up
 Did we miss anything in your toolkit? Do you have any special tools? Let us know below.

Brutally Honest Fortune Cookies

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Polished off that Chinese takeout? Now you're ready to crack open your fortune cookie. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, you may find much truth in the fortune that awaits you. We've collected some common proverbs and adages below that you'd find in a fortune cookie, and applied them to the entrepreneurial experience:

  1. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush - A customer in hand is worth more than chatting with two at a networking event
  2. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link - A startup is only as strong as it's weakest employee
  3. A dog is a man's best friend - Find your loyal allies
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a straw - Even if your startup idea doesn't have scope for success, you will grasp for any angle that will keep it afloat
  5. A fool and his money are soon parted - Enough said
  6. A good beginning makes a good ending - Get started on the right path, and the new business will be smoother
  7. A house divided against itself cannot stand - All new hires have to share the values of your startup
  8. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step - Or a single pivot
  9. A leopard cannot change its spots - Your core competency will always be your core competency
  10. No man's an island - No one launches a business alone
  11. Fortune favors the bold - Risk taking has to be calculated and significant
  12. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer - Your eye must be on your competition at all times
  13. The early bird catches the worm - You may be able to catch a first mover advantage
  14. Too many cooks spoil the broth - As you add more people to your venture, speed to launch often slows
  15. Don't bite the hand that feeds you - Remember to nurture the valuable relationships 
  16. A penny saved is a penny earned - And count every penny towards sustaining your cashflow 
  17. Don't count your chickens before they've hatched - Until you have a check in hand, a handshake doesn't mean anything
  18. A watched pot never boils - Be patient with your startup!

Did we forget any entrepreneurial fortune cookies? Let us know in the comments below!

Evolution of an Entrepreneur

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Are you an entrepreneur, marching to progress? 
Everyone has seen the famous scientific drawing, showing the compressed evolution of 25 million years. Entrepreneurs also go through a mental evolution as they go deeper into their businesses.

I got a sale! The first fresh-faced entrepreneurs focus on volumes. Striving to increase the numbers they sell, they would use any tactic to sell more items. Ironically, huge companies (often with large inventory shipments) also capture these metrics, and looking to hit their volume metrics monthly.

The next generation of entrepreneurs are seeking revenues. No longer satisfied with just volumes, they know that pricing can make a huge difference to the perceived value of their products and services. They are carefully tweaking their prices and prodding the elasticity.  Sure they are aiming for volumes, but the true lever is revenue.

Then reality hits! Revenues have been great, but that doesn’t mean they get to keep any of it. Anybody can dole out productat discounted prices or by subsidizing the sales team to hit their sales targets for commissions. However, all aspects of the cost of doing business need to be considered to successfully generate and maintain profits.

And now we reach the modern day successful startup and entrepreneur. In this article, Jeff Bezos recently said that "cash flow per share was the most important thing for Amazon, not profit margins”. Free cash flow, matched with the profits, revenues, and volumes sum upto a modern and successful entrepreneur and company. You just have to let evolution get you there.

Which stage of evolution are you in? Let us know in the comments below:

Bullseye: Focus like a new entrepreneur

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If you can read this sentence without thinking about your next sales call, the line of buggy code you have to fix, the intern you must hire, or the appointment you are itching to make....then congratulations! You probably have better focus than many new entrepreneurs.

A key element in entrepreneurship is really a laser sharp, extremely directed, pinhole-perfect focus. This unwavering bullseye and motivation to get to a goal separates the successful and the mediocre new startup founders.

Easier read than done? Here are some tips from experts who know the importance of focus
  1. Identify what's important to getting your first customer and nothing more
  2. Implement one strategy at a time for growing your business. Move to the next one, once you have assessed all aspects of your current strategy.
  3. Plan alone time and take breaks, as many of the successful entrepreneurs in this article do.  This allows you to recapture and recuperate in your mind
  4. Set mini goals and mini prizes - e.g. 30 minutes undisturbed will get you 10 minutes of social media time
  5. Remember that it may be easy to get some quick cash doing some odd jobs or consulting work, but if your goal is to grow a business, try to steer clear.
  6. Publish a daily schedule and follow it. Give it to someone who will hold you accountable to those deliverables. Setting a schedule allows you to 'be your own boss' in a way where you determine what your future self would be doing and keep you accountable to yourself.
  7. Include an exercise schedule in your daily regimen, as this allows you to consolidate your thoughts.
  8. Say no at least 10x times than you say yes. Saying no lets you focus on your yes commitments.
  9. Learn the art of meditating, which is essentially the art of practicing being focused.
Did we miss anything in the list above? Let us know in the comments below.


Wanted: Deadline or Alive

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Ravaging through the rough, grunting and seeking out the next victim....Scavenging anyone and anything that comes in the way...


No, we aren't describing the latest wildlife channel special about predatory beasts in the jungle.  We are referring to the angry, stressed, tense new entrepreneurs on a tight deadline.  At this stage in the startup journey, fresh-faced founders may get a little anxious, as the viability of their new startups is dependent on each deadline.  Sure, you could argue that it is just the passion coming through, but this attitude could cost a new entrepreneur his/her business.

If your actions are making your employees cower in fear of being the next stop in your slaughter trail, these are a few pointers to help you:

  1. Foundation
  • Ensure you have employees, partners and teammates you can trust and delegate to, without having to micromanage
  • Ensure there is a support system, including lifelines to rescue you as needed
  • Develop the infrastructure so that as deadlines come, you are not scrambling for administrative things like paper for the printer
  • Expectation Management
    • Simplify all of your project lists with these tips and reminders
    • Count the proportion of the times you say "NO" to requests and the times you say "YES" and make sure it is skewed in the direction of "NO"!
  • Cost/Benefit Analysis
    • Choose your battles wisely and select only the ones that are worth your time and energy. This is a resource that may help you quantify your time, to see if it is really worth pursuing all the deadlines on your plate.
    Remember a calm mind is actually more productive than a harried, stressed and suffocated mind.  This article reminds us that staying calm, cool, and collected is highly correlated with better decisions. 

    How do you handle deadlines? Do you have any other suggestions that we missed? Let us know in the comments below.





    Daily Manic Monday

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    Are you in a Groundhog Day rut? Does yesterday look like today which resembles tomorrow which also reminds you of yesterday?

    For those of you who don't know the reference to the classic movie, Groundhog Day, Bill Murray finds himself trapped in a time loop, and every day is identical. Every day, events repeat themselves from the original day. He is only able to break out of the loop when he changes his thinking fundamentally, by embracing all aspects of his life.

    Entrepreneurs are often in this rut. Every day is a manic Monday, and the concept of a Friday, let alone a weekend is inconceivable.  Sometimes this loop is unavoidable, but here are a few pointers for yourself to stay sane when you are in this cycle:

    1. Give yourself a timeframe. Learn more about timeboxing and the Pomodoro technique
    2. Make sure you see a light at the end of the tunnel. Take a step away from the business. This will allow you to see the entire picture holistically. If there is no light, it's time to abort mission.
    3. Make sure your team has the same calendar as you. If you are the only one without a weekend, take steps to change that.
    4. As the character in Groundhog Day did, change your thinking fundamentally. If you are really meant to work hard on your startup, and it is bringing you joy, isn't everyday actually a Friday?
    And if you need some more tips about how 19 different entrepreneurs got out of the rut, these tips will help.

    Let us know if you agree with this comic. How do you deal with the Monday blues?

    From the Desk of a Wantrepreneur

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    Just as you can't judge a book by its cover, you can't judge an entrepreneur by his/her desk. Or can you?

    Standing desk, traditional wood-trimmed table, lap-desk, or a makeshift corner of a dining table, the desk is an entrepreneur's kingdom.  Key characteristics of the desk can tell a lot about the type of entrepreneur and the type of work being done.

    Clutter
    A meticulously clean desk may indicate a a deeply-entrenched entrepreneur, and perhaps someone who must think logically about their business.  A cluttered desk may indicate more creativity and divergent thinking.  Here are some more details about the nuances between clean and messy desks.

    Stuff
    The daily work of an entrepreneur is timely, pressing, and relevant. The daily work of a wantrepreneur, on the other hand, is superficial, distracting, and fleeting.  For example:
    1. Other work - the wantrepreneur probably has a day job or is keeping his/her options open.  A resume, a "day job" laptop, and the job postings section may be tell-tale signs.
    2. Motivational propaganda - many entrepreneurs have a guru or a mentor, but only wantrepreneurs surround themselves with the books, audio, video they think will make them then entrepreneur they want to be.
    3. To do lists - the wantrepreneur will add in unnecessary non-business related items just to make the to do list seem longer - e.g. doing the laundry, going to the bathroom, etc.   
    So what type of desk do you have? And is there room for improvement? Let us know in the comments below.


    Entrepreneur's Sales Tales

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    What's the most important role as an entrepreneur? What's the hardest thing about being an entrepreneur? What's the one thing that defines a startup vs. just an idea?

    You'll be surprised to know all three answers are the same: SALES!

    Why are sales so important?
    1. They validate the viability of your business
    2. They initiate the cash flow to invest in the growth of your business
    3. They beget more sales with referrals
    Why is seeking sales so scary?
    1. The fear of rejection is founded in reality. Some experts say for every 50 leads, only 1 may come through.
    2. There are many unknowns, unlike other parts of a startup where the work is more concrete.
    3. Your startup may cease to exist sooner than you'd like. 
    For more reasons and tips, this article shares ways you can boost your marketing to drive your sales.

    Let us know what you think? How important are sales to your business?

    A Wish for You

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    My grandmother recently signed up for Facebook.  
    My niece who is 12 years old, frequents Tumblr.  I recently hung out with a friend and we reminisced about how we first met: on Twitter.  Many people can't make a home purchase without consulting their stylist: Pinterest. My web developer relies on Instagram and Vine for inspiration.  And finally, I only make a hire when my recruiter, LinkedIn, tells me to.

    So if everyone is on social media, how do you choose where to focus your marketing efforts?  You could spend all your time tackling the large social media sites.  Or you can use this list to help you find niche sites to target a specific market; these focus on segments such as from dance enthusiasts to design hobbyists.

    However if you decide you are still going after the Facebook crowd for the large reach and segmentation, here are some some pointers to get you started. Many of the recommendations can be applied to any social media site.

    General
      1. Every post has one of two purposes: Sharing or Generating. Know your goal!
      2. Connect your other social media accounts to FB and others and cross promote
      3. Add the key words to the user name so it has a better chance of coming up when searching
      4. Put the website URL in your About section
      5. Create an editorial calendar and pre-schedule posts with Hootsuite
      6. Comment and like posts on other pages so others know your page
      7. Integrate your email subscription form into FB page (if you use MailChimp, here is how)
    Content
      1. Make the ratio of “selling” to “engaging info” 20%:80%
      2. Make a list of all the problems/challenges your super specific target customer is facing and compose posts accordingly
      3. Create offers only for FB fans (you can find code that hides posts from non-fans)
      4. Use video/infographics/cartoons/other fun and different visuals
      5. Create posts with questions to generate discussion
      6. Leverage calendar events and news events and post related to those
      7. Get personal: Include your photo in the FB profile (if not on the profile photo, somewhere on the photo stream
    Though social media can be a huge distraction and often consume hours without any tangible returns, appropriate utilization can help build the targeted branding, recognition, and engagement to establish and grow your venture.

    So how you do leverage social media for your business? Is it working in your favor? Let us know in the comments below.

    Bare It All: Income Potential as an Entrepreneur

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    “As excited as I was at the beginning about the possible upside to my income potential, I was equally scared when my business got sued and I realized they could take all my current and future assets.”

    “How much money can I make” is a question that may come to your mind when contemplating which career path to choose. In a corporate job, the amount you earn in your job has a floor (thanks to minimum wage requirements). So if you do take a tumble, there’s a safety net waiting to hug you. But even if you become the company CEO, you would still bump your head on the income ceiling at some point.

    When it comes to making money in your business, the sky is the limit! And while you may be dreaming about flying around in the income clouds, it’s a wakeup call when you realize that if things don’t go the way you plan, there is no bottom floor. In fact, there is no bottom at all.

    And to make matters worse, if you find yourself falling into the bottomless pit, your personal assets can be seized, you could lose everything you have, and bankruptcy can ruin your chances to fund anything, including a mortgage, in the future.

    These facts are a great incentive to plan for success. Knowing and acknowledging the risks increases your chance of startup success.

    Key Startup Lesson: Aim for the sky, but protect yourself through legal and tax entities.

    Was money a motivating factor in your entrepreneurial journey? Let us know in the comments below.

    This comic was originally created for the book "Cheating on your Corporate Job: A Comic Look at the Startup Dream".  It is available in Kindle and PDF formats.

    The Truth about Luck: Reality Bites

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    If I close a deal, get some PR, or expand my business, the first thing that comes to everyone's mind: "guess some people are just lucky."

    That's easy for them to say. They don't know the insider scoop, the backstory, or the behind the scene effort. Entrepreneurs create their own luck, and they know it takes a combination platter of their own efforts to have a successful business.

    For each stride and advancement in a startup, the reality involves some of the following:
    1. Blood - Entrepreneurship does hurt.
    2. Sweat - More effort than a marathon.
    3. Tears - Emotional attachment and vulnerability.
    4. Work - Nonstop.
    5. Hustle - Selling even when you're not.
    6. Sleepless - Naps are good.
    7. Doubt - Am I good enough?
    8. Drive - Motivation is the currency.
    9. Push - Take it to the next level.
    10. Setback - Two steps forward, three steps back.
    11. Call - Cold, warm, anytime.
    12. Drama - Vendors, Competitors.
    13. Characters - Employees, Customers, Clients.
    14. Sale - Finally!
    Let us know your reality in the comments below. Did luck have anything to do with your success?


    Anatomy of an Entrepreneur

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    "Head over heels" in love with your startup idea?  Are you "knee-deep" in tasks to set up your business?  Do the "butterflies in your stomach" keep you from approaching new clients? The startup doctor is here to make sure you succeed.

    Entrepreneurship requires mind and body immersion. Symptoms include:
    1. Chip on the shoulder - Entrepreneurs often feel they can achieve more than the average person.
    2. Neck on the line - Founders take full ownership and responsibility, good, bad and ugly.
    3. Takes nothing to heart - Criticism doesn't phase the entrepreneur.
    4. Funny bone - Keeping a sense of humor will ensure success.
    5. Gut instinct - Entrepreneurs make decisions from incomplete data.
    6. Hands-on - Entrepreneurship isn't a spectator sport.
    7. Knee jerk reaction - Quick reflexes to either sink or swim.
    8. Foot in the door - Networking drives a business.
    Entrepreneurship may not be for everyone. Beware the side effects of any medication you take, and be careful: starting a company is contagious.

    Let us know if you suffer from this ailment. What are you symptoms? Share in the comments below.

    Ideas vs. The Execution of Ideas

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    Right up there with "what came first, the chicken, or the egg", is another question that has befuddled mankind of generations:

    "What is more important: the idea or the execution?"

    This one is dedicated to all of you soon to be new graduates. What a bigger driver? Strategy OR the tactics to bring those strategies to life?  The answer is that it depends on the role you will pursue. However for the entrepreneurial path, there is only one answer: BOTH are equally important.

    To those thinking of going to work at a university: to succeed you have to excel and shine with your thinking and ideas. Your varied thoughts and points of view will be rewarded.

    To those who will be joining the eventual ranks of middle management, Dilbert, and the cast of The Office, be ready to run nonstop if you want to succeed. You will get promoted based on how many things you can juggle and how well you can keep them in the air, not by generating ideas.

    And finally to those thinking of jumping off into the startup deep end, ideas and execution are two sides of the same coin. Both are equally essential and skills in both will get you closer to success.

    What are your thoughts? Share in the comments below.

    Insistence on Persistence

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    You think success is only based on intelligence? Nope.
    You think success is solely due to the number of contacts you have? Negative.
    You think success is pure luck? Sorry.
    You think success is based just on education? Nice try.
    You think success is only about you? No way!

    I could keep listing these, but you get the gist. The line that separates the entrepreneur from the wantrepreneur is not only the number of successes, but it is the number of attempts, failures, disappointments, trials, and tribulations.  This persistence is the distinguishing factor that separates the entrepreneurs from the wannabes.

    Additionally, remember, that as an entrepreneur, you are part of a bigger ecosystem of trying, failing, learning and succeeding. For every failure, you or someone else will benefit from it, and will use that learning to adapt it for businesses.  You may not even recognize it, but you are benefitting from other entrepreneur's failures all the time, and vice versa.  Check out these TED Talks for more inspiration about failures.

    Here are some bits of inspiration to keep on trying, even when it seems that you're in a dead end:


    How long have you been persisting? How do you keep going in the face of adversity? Let us know in the comments below.



    Need a Startup GPS

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    "The opportunities are endless." You may have heard that when you embarked on your startup journey. However, little did you know that it is an understatement.

    In a corporate job, you get direction from your boss.  However for an entrepreneur, every direction can be the right direction or the wrong direction, simultaneously. Every decision  can make a profound impact on the course of your company, however it is unknown if was the the right decision until much after it is taken.

    That's why there is no ONE route, guide book, playbook, piece of big data, or compass an entrepreneur can get a definitive direction from.

    The combination of all of the following will help entrepreneurs find their path:
    1. Gut instinct - Trusting your sixth sense will help drive your decisions quicker.
    2. Data Analysis - Assessing both historical and proxy data can provide "guesstimates" for your decisions.
    3. Customer Validation - Ask, learn and create for your buyers and users. They can serve as a big part of your startup compass.
    4. Tools - Modeling techniques such as weighted probabilities and decision trees can add a structured component to driving your company.
    5. Resources - Online and offline, there are best practices that you can leverage so you don't reinvent the wheel.
    6. Mentorship - Find one ASAP. Generally, the more informal the better, as it is most successful when you have not only an experienced mentor, but a friend.
    Remember not to overuse any of the above points, as then you may be pulled down the wrong path.

    Tell us how you make your decisions in the comments below? What do you use as your startup compass?

    Flaking Bad: Who can you trust?

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    I promise, I promise. I'll refer you to my whole network, and bring you tons of business. 

    If you haven't already, you're going to meet tons of "flakes" in your startup career.
    There are different breeds of flakes. Keep your eye out for all of the following species:
    1. The Well Wisher - This person always tells you about the contacts he/she will tell about your business, but never actually does it.
    2. The Guarantor - This person promises to be a fantastic partner or vendor, but unfortunately the "timing" is never right.
    3. The Genie - This person will take all your woes and wishes them away with a swift magic wand. Alas, he/she never comes through.
    4. The Yin to your Yang - This person seems like the perfect complement, a cofounder made in heaven. But of course, this never quite materializes.
    You need to be very careful when dealing with flakes while running your business. In fact, you may even find reliable contacts end up not living up to promises in the business world.  It is your responsibility in business to make sure that you don't waste your time on unreliable people

    Also, if you are constantly being strung along, the message is loud and clear.  You need to craft the right value, the right motivation and the right incentive, to the person you are trying to reach out to. Its the only way to get the attention and the leverage your need from that person.  Focus your energy on identifying the right people that you can work with in every situation.

    A sneaky trick that can often work, is to grant the "flaker" a favor, only if he/she stays true to what he/she promised you.

    Let us know what flakes you have dealt with in the comments below.
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