4 Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Lessons learned interviewing successful entrepreneurs.
Lesson 1: Start
Start where you are. Today. Take the first step. There is no such thing as the perfect idea or the perfect plan. Your idea will evolve and plans will change. There is no perfection. Mistakes are inevitable whether you start today or 6 months or 5 years from now. Learn as you go.
Ideally, you want to start with something that you enjoy doing. Entrepreneurship is very difficult and if you don’t enjoy what you are doing, you will likely fail because you will give up before you succeed.
Lesson 2: Build Something People Want
Businesses exist to help solve people’s problems and/or to make people’s lives easier and more enjoyable.
The best way to figure out if people want your product or service is to find people who would be willing to pay for it. You want to do this as quickly and cheaply as possible after starting.
If no one is willing to pay for your product or service then it is most likely a hobby and not a business. Tweak (or Pivot) and repeat.
Lesson 3: Build Relationships
“No man is an island entire of itself.”
Business (and life) is about PEOPLE. Whether it is your customers, partners, investors or advisers, it is highly unlikely that you are going to create and sell something in vacuum.
Building relationships — and building high quality relationships require investment of your time and effort.
Give first. Provide value and the rewards will come sooner or later whether in the form of an introduction, a client, an idea, a partner and so on.
Look at every relationship that you wish to cultivate as a long-term investment. The right relationships can provide huge leverage in business and life. So cherish them and invest in them.
Lesson 4: Don’t Give Up
Don’t give up, as simple as that. Don’t listen to naysayers. Keep on pushing forward one step at a time and good things will happen.
Watch full length video interviews with highly successful digital entrepreneurs at http://treptalks.com Connect with Sushant at sushant@treptalks.com
