I’ve built two startups myself and coached over 50 startups - here are 20 lessons I’ve learned that you can use right away to build your successful startup.
In each section, I’ve included an action step for you - so don’t miss these.
Before we start - I’ve put all 20 learnings and action steps into a simple checklist for you – so you can use it right away. Just click the link below to download it now.
In each section, I’ve included an action step for you - so don’t miss these.
Before we start - I’ve put all 20 learnings and action steps into a simple checklist for you – so you can use it right away. Just click the link below to download it now.
1. Validate everything
Here’s the biggest lie founders believe:
Validating your idea is enough to succeed.
I learned this the hard way.
In the beginning, I thought validating your big startup idea is enough to be successful. Like - ask a few people if they like your idea and you’re good to go.
❌ But that’s not enough.
✅ You also need to validate every feature too.
I’ll never forget a meeting where someone said:
"Let’s build this feature - our customers will love it!"
We spent weeks building it.
Launch day came… and nobody cared.
Zero signups.
Big fail.
So if you don't validate your features - you’ll spend months building stuff no one wants. As a solo founder or small team, you can’t afford that.
✏️ Here’s how you fix it:
Before you write a single line of code, take your feature idea to customers and ask them:
"Would this actually help you get the result you want?"
❌ If they say no, cut it.
✅ If they say yes, build it.
Validating your idea is enough to succeed.
I learned this the hard way.
In the beginning, I thought validating your big startup idea is enough to be successful. Like - ask a few people if they like your idea and you’re good to go.
❌ But that’s not enough.
✅ You also need to validate every feature too.
I’ll never forget a meeting where someone said:
"Let’s build this feature - our customers will love it!"
We spent weeks building it.
Launch day came… and nobody cared.
Zero signups.
Big fail.
So if you don't validate your features - you’ll spend months building stuff no one wants. As a solo founder or small team, you can’t afford that.
✏️ Here’s how you fix it:
Before you write a single line of code, take your feature idea to customers and ask them:
"Would this actually help you get the result you want?"
❌ If they say no, cut it.
✅ If they say yes, build it.
2. Be super clear about your ICP (Ideal customer profile)
When I built my first product, I thought I knew my customers.
So I never really defined my personas.
What happened was that nobody bought my product because I never really understood what they were trying to achieve. That was a brutal lesson, but it stuck with me.
Now my personas are super detailed.
They answer the important questions like:
• What are my customers' goals?
• What are their pain points?
• What actually makes them happy?
That’s what you need to answer if you want to build a product that people actually buy.
✏️ So take a second and ask yourself:
Do you really understand your customers or are you just guessing?
If not, answer the key questions I showed you.
POWERFUL STARTUP RESOURCESSo I never really defined my personas.
What happened was that nobody bought my product because I never really understood what they were trying to achieve. That was a brutal lesson, but it stuck with me.
Now my personas are super detailed.
They answer the important questions like:
• What are my customers' goals?
• What are their pain points?
• What actually makes them happy?
That’s what you need to answer if you want to build a product that people actually buy.
✏️ So take a second and ask yourself:
Do you really understand your customers or are you just guessing?
If not, answer the key questions I showed you.
3. Focus on solving real problems, not features
Ok, this is a big one. Most startups focus on their cool features. They mention them everywhere.
And honestly, I was obsessed with features as well.
I thought the more things we added, the better the product would be.
But what most founders completely forget is this:
❌ Customers don’t buy features.
✅ They buy solutions to their problems.
That’s an important lesson to learn.
If you only show features, people won’t buy – because they don’t see the real value.
→ So here’s how you fix it:
Take every feature you have and transform it into a real benefit, a real outcome.
Quick example: I coached a startup that tracked analytics in real time. But the real problem users cared about wasn’t seeing the data in real time - it was making better decisions faster.
Only once we started talking about the outcome – making better decisions – people started buying.
✏️ So here's your action step: Take your top feature and rewrite it as a benefit on your website. Show people what they will really achieve with your product.
That's how you make them buy.
And honestly, I was obsessed with features as well.
I thought the more things we added, the better the product would be.
But what most founders completely forget is this:
❌ Customers don’t buy features.
✅ They buy solutions to their problems.
That’s an important lesson to learn.
If you only show features, people won’t buy – because they don’t see the real value.
→ So here’s how you fix it:
Take every feature you have and transform it into a real benefit, a real outcome.
Quick example: I coached a startup that tracked analytics in real time. But the real problem users cared about wasn’t seeing the data in real time - it was making better decisions faster.
Only once we started talking about the outcome – making better decisions – people started buying.
✏️ So here's your action step: Take your top feature and rewrite it as a benefit on your website. Show people what they will really achieve with your product.
That's how you make them buy.
4. Build your MVP super quick
Now, this is a tip most founders get wrong - and honestly, I made the same mistake.
Back in the day, I wanted to make everything perfect. I thought:
"People will only love my product if it’s perfect."
Big mistake.
Here’s the problem:
While you try to make your product perfect, nothing else is happening.
❌ You don’t get any feedback.
❌ No learnings.
❌ No customers.
So here’s the hard truth I had to learn:
Speed matters more than perfection.
→ You don’t need every feature.
→ You don’t need the perfect interface.
→ You just need to solve one specific problem for your customers.
That’s it.
✏️ So here’s what I want you to do: When you build your startup - define the core problem you solve, remove everything else that’s not important, and then launch it quickly. Cut extra features and fancy animations.
Provide value, get feedback, and improve quickly.
STARTUP WORKSHEETS, TEMPLATESBack in the day, I wanted to make everything perfect. I thought:
"People will only love my product if it’s perfect."
Big mistake.
Here’s the problem:
While you try to make your product perfect, nothing else is happening.
❌ You don’t get any feedback.
❌ No learnings.
❌ No customers.
So here’s the hard truth I had to learn:
Speed matters more than perfection.
→ You don’t need every feature.
→ You don’t need the perfect interface.
→ You just need to solve one specific problem for your customers.
That’s it.
✏️ So here’s what I want you to do: When you build your startup - define the core problem you solve, remove everything else that’s not important, and then launch it quickly. Cut extra features and fancy animations.
Provide value, get feedback, and improve quickly.
5. Get customer feedback weekly/monthly
Here's one of the biggest mistakes we made in the first startup I joined. We had a super cool idea and we built our product for months. When we finally launched it, nobody wanted it.
So why did this happen?
→ Because we never talked to any potential customers at all.
We had a product, yes… but it didn’t solve a problem customers cared about. We had to shut down our startup.
The best way to avoid making the same mistake is to get customer feedback early and regularly.
👉 As an early-stage startup, I recommend you get customer feedback weekly because you haven’t optimized the flows and customer journey yet.
Later on, when you already have some traction, it’s enough to get feedback monthly.
✏️ But really make it a habit to get feedback regularly because it’s your best insurance against building something nobody wants.
So why did this happen?
→ Because we never talked to any potential customers at all.
We had a product, yes… but it didn’t solve a problem customers cared about. We had to shut down our startup.
The best way to avoid making the same mistake is to get customer feedback early and regularly.
👉 As an early-stage startup, I recommend you get customer feedback weekly because you haven’t optimized the flows and customer journey yet.
Later on, when you already have some traction, it’s enough to get feedback monthly.
✏️ But really make it a habit to get feedback regularly because it’s your best insurance against building something nobody wants.
6. Don’t wait for perfection
This step is a big mindset shift that took me a long time to fully understand.
Now, I’m a perfectionist. I invested months trying to make my website flawless - pixel-pushing every button, tweaking copy, switching colors endlessly.
And I did the same for my product launch.
Here’s the problem:
❌ When you build your startup, you don’t need to build the perfect product right away.
Ship your product at 90% and then go from there. Your customers will love your product if it solves the one problem you promised.
✏️ So here is what I want you to do: Take a second and ask yourself this: What’s the one thing you should have published last week but postponed because you wanted to make it perfect?
Could be a new feature, a marketing campaign, whatever.
I want you to ship it at 90%, get real feedback and improve it.
Now, I’m a perfectionist. I invested months trying to make my website flawless - pixel-pushing every button, tweaking copy, switching colors endlessly.
And I did the same for my product launch.
Here’s the problem:
❌ When you build your startup, you don’t need to build the perfect product right away.
Ship your product at 90% and then go from there. Your customers will love your product if it solves the one problem you promised.
✏️ So here is what I want you to do: Take a second and ask yourself this: What’s the one thing you should have published last week but postponed because you wanted to make it perfect?
Could be a new feature, a marketing campaign, whatever.
I want you to ship it at 90%, get real feedback and improve it.
7. Have a clear roadmap
You know how most founders build their startup?
→ They build a product and chase customers.
That’s it.
❌ They don't have a plan.
❌ They don't have a roadmap.
Here’s the thing:
If you don’t have a clear roadmap for your startup, you’ll start chasing random things - ads, cold calls, or whatever startup growth hack you find on Twitter or Instagram.
And that’s a big mistake.
You’ll waste your time and money.
✏️ So here’s what I learned: Build a clear roadmap that shows you exactly what your next steps are and why you’re doing them. And only include the steps that help your startup grow.
One of the best ways I found to built such a roadmap and prioritize tasks was the Eisenhower Matrix. I created an extra video on this, but in short it works like this:
You put your todos in 4 different buckets:
→ Urgent & important
→ Urgent but not important
→ Not urgent but important
→ Not urgent & not important
This way you get super clear what to focus on.
→ They build a product and chase customers.
That’s it.
❌ They don't have a plan.
❌ They don't have a roadmap.
Here’s the thing:
If you don’t have a clear roadmap for your startup, you’ll start chasing random things - ads, cold calls, or whatever startup growth hack you find on Twitter or Instagram.
And that’s a big mistake.
You’ll waste your time and money.
✏️ So here’s what I learned: Build a clear roadmap that shows you exactly what your next steps are and why you’re doing them. And only include the steps that help your startup grow.
One of the best ways I found to built such a roadmap and prioritize tasks was the Eisenhower Matrix. I created an extra video on this, but in short it works like this:
You put your todos in 4 different buckets:
→ Urgent & important
→ Urgent but not important
→ Not urgent but important
→ Not urgent & not important
This way you get super clear what to focus on.
8. Know what to measure - and don’t measure too much
Did you know there are over 50 metrics you could measure in your startup?Did you also know that not all of them are important for your startup?
I see a lot of founders with fancy dashboards tracking 30 metrics but still having no idea how their startup is doing.
Don't do that.
👉 The goal is to focus on the metrics that bring you closer to your goal.
Here’s how you do it:
1. Define your KPI - your most important metric.
For example: "We want to get 100 new active customers this quarter."
2. Define the underlying metric - the one that directly influences this goal. For example: Your website conversion rate.
3. Set clear tasks to improve that metric - like making the call-to-action more prominent or updating the copy on your website to highlight benefits.
That’s how you grow without getting overwhelmed by unnecessary metrics.
POWERFUL STARTUP RESOURCESI see a lot of founders with fancy dashboards tracking 30 metrics but still having no idea how their startup is doing.
Don't do that.
👉 The goal is to focus on the metrics that bring you closer to your goal.
Here’s how you do it:
1. Define your KPI - your most important metric.
For example: "We want to get 100 new active customers this quarter."
2. Define the underlying metric - the one that directly influences this goal. For example: Your website conversion rate.
3. Set clear tasks to improve that metric - like making the call-to-action more prominent or updating the copy on your website to highlight benefits.
That’s how you grow without getting overwhelmed by unnecessary metrics.
9. Focus on long-term growth, not short-term hype
Now I want to debunk a big myth in the startup world.
If you want a startup that lasts, this one’s for you.
When you surf the internet, you see a lot of quick wins and hacks. And when I started, I tried a lot of them because gurus and coaches promised they worked.
And yes, some of them gave quick results.
👉 But here’s what those fancy gurus don’t tell you:
If you only focus on short-term wins, your startup won’t grow. Following the latest TikTok trend might give you a spike in users, but those users often leave just as fast.
I coached a startup that went viral for a week and it felt amazing - signups spiked. But within two weeks, most users disappeared.
Why?
Because the startup hadn’t focused on solving a real problem.
Here’s what I learned:
Quick wins distract you from what actually matters - building a strong foundation for long-term success.
✏️ So the next time you see a shiny hack, ask yourself if it really helps you move closer to your goal. If not, skip it.
If you want a startup that lasts, this one’s for you.
When you surf the internet, you see a lot of quick wins and hacks. And when I started, I tried a lot of them because gurus and coaches promised they worked.
And yes, some of them gave quick results.
👉 But here’s what those fancy gurus don’t tell you:
If you only focus on short-term wins, your startup won’t grow. Following the latest TikTok trend might give you a spike in users, but those users often leave just as fast.
I coached a startup that went viral for a week and it felt amazing - signups spiked. But within two weeks, most users disappeared.
Why?
Because the startup hadn’t focused on solving a real problem.
Here’s what I learned:
Quick wins distract you from what actually matters - building a strong foundation for long-term success.
✏️ So the next time you see a shiny hack, ask yourself if it really helps you move closer to your goal. If not, skip it.
10. Start marketing from day one
Quick pop quiz:
When should you start talking about your startup?
1. When you have the idea
2. When you launch your final product
Many founders only start marketing after launch.
Here’s the problem: When people first hear about your product at launch, they don’t trust you yet (because they don’t know you).
👉 So here's the better way:
Start marketing from day one.
The first day you start your startup, share your idea, your struggles, what you’re working on. Tell your story on social media, in a blog, wherever.
People will see your journey and start trusting you.
And once your product is live, those are the first ones who buy.
✏️ So think about what you can share this week that your community finds interesting. Then post it. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just make it authentic.
When should you start talking about your startup?
1. When you have the idea
2. When you launch your final product
Many founders only start marketing after launch.
Here’s the problem: When people first hear about your product at launch, they don’t trust you yet (because they don’t know you).
👉 So here's the better way:
Start marketing from day one.
The first day you start your startup, share your idea, your struggles, what you’re working on. Tell your story on social media, in a blog, wherever.
People will see your journey and start trusting you.
And once your product is live, those are the first ones who buy.
✏️ So think about what you can share this week that your community finds interesting. Then post it. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just make it authentic.
11. Use non-scalable marketing channels first
Did you know there are 19 marketing channels you could use?
Like social ads, writing blog articles, direct sales, and so on.
Now, most founders think:
"If we use all of them, we’ll get more customers."
Sounds logical, but it’s a trap.
Because if you use all channels, you spread yourself too thin.
👉 So here's a quick tip for you to not waste your time and money:
When you’re just starting, go for non-scalable channels - small channels where you can reach people directly.
One of the best ways to get your first 100 customers is through your personal network. Tell your friends and family what you’re building and ask if they know someone who might find it valuable.
So you’re not selling directly, you’re asking for recommendations.
That’s super powerful and I used this myself to get my first customers. Later on, once you’ve used your personal network, you can use more scalable channels like content marketing or ads.
But at the beginning, non-scalable channels are your best option.
Like social ads, writing blog articles, direct sales, and so on.
Now, most founders think:
"If we use all of them, we’ll get more customers."
Sounds logical, but it’s a trap.
Because if you use all channels, you spread yourself too thin.
👉 So here's a quick tip for you to not waste your time and money:
When you’re just starting, go for non-scalable channels - small channels where you can reach people directly.
One of the best ways to get your first 100 customers is through your personal network. Tell your friends and family what you’re building and ask if they know someone who might find it valuable.
So you’re not selling directly, you’re asking for recommendations.
That’s super powerful and I used this myself to get my first customers. Later on, once you’ve used your personal network, you can use more scalable channels like content marketing or ads.
But at the beginning, non-scalable channels are your best option.
12. Focus on 1–3 marketing channels later
This one is a game-changer if you don’t want to waste your time and money. Once your startup grows and you’ve exhausted your personal network, the question is:
Which marketing channels should you focus on?
Most founders just do too much - Facebook, blog posts, Instagram ads, all at once. They end up with 1 like on Facebook, 10 blog visitors, 3 ad clicks.
But no customers.
👉 So here’s the better way:
• Focus on 1–3 marketing channels.
• Ask yourself where your customers already hang out.
→ For example, if you sell your product B2B, maybe LinkedIn works.
→ If your audience is younger, try TikTok or Instagram.
Whatever marketing channel you go for – remember this:
In the beginning, no one can tell you which channel works best.
You have to test it.
✏️ So quickly test different ideas and marketing channels, and then focus on the ones that bring customers. Cut the rest.
POWERFUL STARTUP RESOURCESWhich marketing channels should you focus on?
Most founders just do too much - Facebook, blog posts, Instagram ads, all at once. They end up with 1 like on Facebook, 10 blog visitors, 3 ad clicks.
But no customers.
👉 So here’s the better way:
• Focus on 1–3 marketing channels.
• Ask yourself where your customers already hang out.
→ For example, if you sell your product B2B, maybe LinkedIn works.
→ If your audience is younger, try TikTok or Instagram.
Whatever marketing channel you go for – remember this:
In the beginning, no one can tell you which channel works best.
You have to test it.
✏️ So quickly test different ideas and marketing channels, and then focus on the ones that bring customers. Cut the rest.
13. Focus on retention over acquisition
Do you know the main difference between startups that succeed long term and those that fail?
Startups that last focus more on keeping customers than getting new ones. The main reason successful startups focus on retention is because getting new customers is expensive - you need marketing, onboarding, and so on.
But keeping customers basically means improving your product and giving more value. Something you do anyway.
And if you do that, you not only increase your revenue, but your customers recommend you to friends and family. Which means you get more customers for free.
So remember: Focus on retention, not just acquisition.
✏️ Here is the action step for you:
This week, talk to 3 existing customers and ask them:
"What would make you love our product even more?"
Then implement one thing.
Startups that last focus more on keeping customers than getting new ones. The main reason successful startups focus on retention is because getting new customers is expensive - you need marketing, onboarding, and so on.
But keeping customers basically means improving your product and giving more value. Something you do anyway.
And if you do that, you not only increase your revenue, but your customers recommend you to friends and family. Which means you get more customers for free.
So remember: Focus on retention, not just acquisition.
✏️ Here is the action step for you:
This week, talk to 3 existing customers and ask them:
"What would make you love our product even more?"
Then implement one thing.
14. Overdeliver
This is one of the most important tips to grow your startup – give people more than they expect.
✅ Something small
✅ Something extra
✅ Something they remember
Quick example:
When I worked with a mentor, every time I asked a question, he didn’t just send an email. He recorded a detailed video that answered my question.
Super personal.
And that extra effort stuck with me.
That’s overdelivering.
These small things build trust and turns customers into fans who recommend your product. And the great thing is – it doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming.
✏️ For example, when someone makes their first purchase, you could send a short thank-you video or a note. It’s not so much about what you give, it’s about the mindset.
When customers think: "Wow, that’s nice - thank you", you’ve already won.
✅ Something small
✅ Something extra
✅ Something they remember
Quick example:
When I worked with a mentor, every time I asked a question, he didn’t just send an email. He recorded a detailed video that answered my question.
Super personal.
And that extra effort stuck with me.
That’s overdelivering.
These small things build trust and turns customers into fans who recommend your product. And the great thing is – it doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming.
✏️ For example, when someone makes their first purchase, you could send a short thank-you video or a note. It’s not so much about what you give, it’s about the mindset.
When customers think: "Wow, that’s nice - thank you", you’ve already won.
15. Build a personal brand and community
Who would you rather buy from:
1. A faceless brand
2. Someone you know and trust?
Pretty obvious, right?
But here is the mistake many founders make:
When they talk about their startup, they only post from their brand accounts. And that’s a mistake. Because you don't build trust.
People prefer buying from people – remember that.
So build a personal brand.
Share ...
✅ Your journey
✅ Your wins
✅ Your struggles
✅ What you currently work on in your startup
People connect with that.
And that becomes one of your biggest assets.
✏️ So here's my action step for you: Start small. Share what you’re working on this week. A quick insight, a mini lesson, a behind-the-scenes look.
Don’t overthink it. Just be authentic.
1. A faceless brand
2. Someone you know and trust?
Pretty obvious, right?
But here is the mistake many founders make:
When they talk about their startup, they only post from their brand accounts. And that’s a mistake. Because you don't build trust.
People prefer buying from people – remember that.
So build a personal brand.
Share ...
✅ Your journey
✅ Your wins
✅ Your struggles
✅ What you currently work on in your startup
People connect with that.
And that becomes one of your biggest assets.
✏️ So here's my action step for you: Start small. Share what you’re working on this week. A quick insight, a mini lesson, a behind-the-scenes look.
Don’t overthink it. Just be authentic.
16. Growth hacks don’t work
Now comes an important one because I’ve seen many founders give up because of it.
I’ve been working in the startup industry for over 10 years and I’ve heard all the "growth hacks". The quick wins, the shortcuts.
👉 Let me tell you: there are no shortcuts.
No magical formula to grow your startup. It’s hard work.
You have to keep going every day. You have to fight through the struggles. I remember sitting in my apartment thinking, "How the hell can I make this work?".
Building a startup is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.
You’ll face tough times, but they’re worth it.
And remember this: If your startup isn’t growing like the big tech companies you see on TV, that’s fine. Don’t get frustrated. Take one step at a time - you’ll be surprised how far you get.
STARTUP TEMPLATES, WORKSHEETS, FRAMEWORKSI’ve been working in the startup industry for over 10 years and I’ve heard all the "growth hacks". The quick wins, the shortcuts.
👉 Let me tell you: there are no shortcuts.
No magical formula to grow your startup. It’s hard work.
You have to keep going every day. You have to fight through the struggles. I remember sitting in my apartment thinking, "How the hell can I make this work?".
Building a startup is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.
You’ll face tough times, but they’re worth it.
And remember this: If your startup isn’t growing like the big tech companies you see on TV, that’s fine. Don’t get frustrated. Take one step at a time - you’ll be surprised how far you get.
17. Learn from the best, then adapt
Here’s something I wish I understood earlier:
You don't need to reinvent the wheel.
For years, I tried figuring everything out myself.
But then I realized something:
👉 Everything I wanted to do had already been done by someone.
👉 They already made those mistakes and I don't have to start from zero.
So the smart move is to learn from them. I am not talking about blindly copying others because that doesn't work.
Instead, study what works, test it, and adapt it to your startup.
For example: when I saw competitors using referral programs, I didn’t just copy them. I checked how they did it and how I could use it for my product. That's how you grow your startup the smart way.
✏️ So, pick one tactic from another founder or company, adapt it to your startup, test it with your users, and improve it.
You don't need to reinvent the wheel.
For years, I tried figuring everything out myself.
But then I realized something:
👉 Everything I wanted to do had already been done by someone.
👉 They already made those mistakes and I don't have to start from zero.
So the smart move is to learn from them. I am not talking about blindly copying others because that doesn't work.
Instead, study what works, test it, and adapt it to your startup.
For example: when I saw competitors using referral programs, I didn’t just copy them. I checked how they did it and how I could use it for my product. That's how you grow your startup the smart way.
✏️ So, pick one tactic from another founder or company, adapt it to your startup, test it with your users, and improve it.
18. Stop listening to everybody’s advice
These days, advice is everywhere - LinkedIn, Twitter, podcasts, mentors. When you look for startup tips, you'll find millions of people who claim to know what's best - or at least think they do.
The problem is not all advice fits your startup. If you blindly copy everything, you’ll waste months on strategies that don’t work for you.
Let me give you an example: A startup I coached copied a competitor’s email sequence because it worked for them.
They lost their own brand voice and barely sold anything.
Don't do that.
✏️ So the next time you get advice, write it down. Before you act, ask yourself: "Does this directly help me reach my current goal?"
If not, skip it.
The problem is not all advice fits your startup. If you blindly copy everything, you’ll waste months on strategies that don’t work for you.
Let me give you an example: A startup I coached copied a competitor’s email sequence because it worked for them.
They lost their own brand voice and barely sold anything.
Don't do that.
✏️ So the next time you get advice, write it down. Before you act, ask yourself: "Does this directly help me reach my current goal?"
If not, skip it.
19. Define your own goals
I’m sure you know this:
You’re scrolling LinkedIn or Twitter and see someone who sold their startup for $100 million or raised $12 million.
When I started, I was comparing myself all the time. I thought I needed to raise millions, hire hundreds of people, and have a big office.
But the truth is, that’s not for everyone.
✅ Your startup is your path.
✅ You define what success means.
Maybe it’s not raising millions, maybe it's building something you truly love and believe in.
So never blindly follow others’ goals.
Ask yourself what you want, and build toward that.
✏️ So here is my action step for you: Write down your personal definition of startup success and stick it on your wall.
Use it as your guide.
You’re scrolling LinkedIn or Twitter and see someone who sold their startup for $100 million or raised $12 million.
When I started, I was comparing myself all the time. I thought I needed to raise millions, hire hundreds of people, and have a big office.
But the truth is, that’s not for everyone.
✅ Your startup is your path.
✅ You define what success means.
Maybe it’s not raising millions, maybe it's building something you truly love and believe in.
So never blindly follow others’ goals.
Ask yourself what you want, and build toward that.
✏️ So here is my action step for you: Write down your personal definition of startup success and stick it on your wall.
Use it as your guide.
20. Pivot if necessary
This one hurts. But it’s real.
Sometimes, your idea just isn’t working.
But instead of facing it, many founders keep pushing. And I’m guilty of this myself. The first startup I joined was doomed. We all knew it, but we kept running it for months instead of shutting it down.
Why?
Because we’re founders.
We’re emotionally invested.
We think, "We’ve come this far, we can’t stop now".
Here’s what I learned after shutting that startup down - and trust me, it was one of the hardest calls I’ve ever made:
👉 Pivoting, or even quitting your startup if it’s not working, is not failure.
Failure is knowing something isn’t working and choosing to ignore it.
Instead, moving on frees you to build something better with the lessons learned.
✏️ So the best way to avoid this mistake is:
→ Measure your traction honestly. Not with hope, but with real data.
→ Think like a CEO. Your job is to make it work. If it doesn’t, it’s time to pivot.
→ Accept that pivots are normal. Remember - most successful founders didn’t get it right the first time.
STARTUP TEMPLATES, WORKSHEETS, FRAMEWORKSSometimes, your idea just isn’t working.
But instead of facing it, many founders keep pushing. And I’m guilty of this myself. The first startup I joined was doomed. We all knew it, but we kept running it for months instead of shutting it down.
Why?
Because we’re founders.
We’re emotionally invested.
We think, "We’ve come this far, we can’t stop now".
Here’s what I learned after shutting that startup down - and trust me, it was one of the hardest calls I’ve ever made:
👉 Pivoting, or even quitting your startup if it’s not working, is not failure.
Failure is knowing something isn’t working and choosing to ignore it.
Instead, moving on frees you to build something better with the lessons learned.
✏️ So the best way to avoid this mistake is:
→ Measure your traction honestly. Not with hope, but with real data.
→ Think like a CEO. Your job is to make it work. If it doesn’t, it’s time to pivot.
→ Accept that pivots are normal. Remember - most successful founders didn’t get it right the first time.
What's next
So those are the 20 lessons I learned after building 2 startups myself. But these are just the foundation.
If you want to grow your startup faster and avoid the mistakes I made, check out my Startup Success Bundle. It's a clear roadmap trusted by 50+ startups.
This system gives you a proven roadmap to help you build your startup faster and with less hassle - so you can gain financial freedom, support your family, and build something you truly believe in - WITHOUT feeling stuck or frustrated.
Check it out now!
If you want to grow your startup faster and avoid the mistakes I made, check out my Startup Success Bundle. It's a clear roadmap trusted by 50+ startups.
This system gives you a proven roadmap to help you build your startup faster and with less hassle - so you can gain financial freedom, support your family, and build something you truly believe in - WITHOUT feeling stuck or frustrated.
Check it out now!
