They may not be the ones you might think of — While many factors such as luck, good idea, and timing can contribute to a successful business, four remain essential. Without these qualities, no matter how hard you try, and unless you are incredibly lucky, you may end up like 90% of start-ups, in the wall. 1. Faith. This is probably the most…

The problem is that you don’t know if you have it until you fail. — Many startups fail. We’re talking about 90%, never mind the number. Those are just statistics. And you are not a statistic. What are the reasons? There are many. Most apparent, one a little less so. For the most obvious ones, An unclear and poorly defined vision and mission, Insufficient market…

There is only one thing you need to do to become one. — Being the next unicorn has become the goal of many young startups. I’m talking about the unicorns that are always praised in blogs. They’ve got it all wrong. They are not. And if they aspire to become one, they don’t know what to expect. I’ve explained why in countless articles…

And how to take advantage of it. — In a previous post, I talked about the idea of rethinking charity. Rather than remaining dependent on uncertain funding, I proposed that charities should take inspiration from social businesses and, like them, create income-generating activities. Depending on the goodwill of donors is risky. Many NGOs have had to close down…

My way of solving the fundraising problem once and for all — Charities are increasingly called upon to carry out their mission, and the pandemic has only increased their need for funding. The problem is that their usual providers of funds, the companies, also have issues and need to reorganize…. Many articles here and there recommend that charities be more agile, appoint…

Why impact must be your primary driver. — When I hear these young aspiring entrepreneurs tell me about their projects, it only takes one question to know whether their project deserves any attention or not. Just one. The question is simple: what is your (implied) societal impact? If they can’t answer it clearly, I prefer to pass. Waste…

Or the salami theory applied to startups. — I already talked about my salami theory. It comes down to setting an achievable goal. And high enough to have the satisfaction, once achieved, of having done it. The idea is not to try to lose 24 kilos in one year, but 2 kilos per month. Remember the saying: A…

Ten tips for making the best first impression — A pitch is like a date. It’s nothing more than a sale. Same process, same objective. There are things to do and things to avoid. Here are ten of them that will allow you to succeed in your pitch in less than ten minutes. First of all, the appearance: Yes…

And no, it’s not about getting up at five. — The thing? Do one thing every day that scares you. The suggestion didn’t come from me but Eleanor Roosevelt. She is so right. Comfort is killing us. Getting out of our comfort zone should be part of our daily routine. The routine should not be limited to getting up at…