Startup culture has captured our collective imaginations, and today there are more people dabbling in entrepreneurship than ever before.
The fast pace, the pivots, and the setbacks involved in a new venture all make for an exciting day-to-day where anything can happen. And at the end of the road, with a little luck and some hard work, there is even potential to make a significant return on investment: a take-out offer, or an IPO can be a life changing event for one’s career and financial security.
But the startup life is also grueling and unforgiving. To achieve success, an entrepreneur needs have an incredible amount of perseverance and resolve – the fact is that there is no shortage of obstacles that can threaten to instantly bankrupt or disempower any new venture.
How to Launch a Startup, in Quotes
Today’s infographic from Wrike serves as a guide to help those aspiring entrepreneurs that aim to go down this challenging but potentially rewarding path.
See all 31 quotes on how to launch a startup, from notable founders and financiers, in the infographic below:
The experts make clear that to launch a startup requires deep thought and action in the following areas:
Courage and Confidence
Taking a chance can be scary, but don’t be afraid to take the leap of faith on a good idea.
Solve a Problem
Don’t start a company just to be an entrepreneur – but instead solve a real problem. If your product helps to improve other people’s lives, you will always have a market.
Build Your Product
Anyone can come up with an idea to launch a startup, but when it comes to building a product it is all about the execution. The aptitude for translating a mere concept to a physical reality is paramount. Put more succinctly, as Michael Dell says: “Ideas are a commodity. Execution of them is not.”
The Customer is Right
Henry Ford and Steve Jobs have shown us that the average customer cannot always envision the future, whether it is the automobile or the iPhone. However, once you have a product solidified, testing it with customers will give you a wealth of feedback that could change the entire course of product development. Be responsive to this feedback.
Iterate
Make sure everything that can be measured is properly tracked. Update your approach based on this data until it’s clear that the product is a winner.
The Merits of Bootstrapping
Bootstrapping is often underrated. Smart bootstrapping allows you to address big problems without the distractions or opinions of investors.