If I Could Turn Back Time: What Any Startup Wish They’d Known Upfront

The startup world is booming. More and more people are looking to start their own business both for the future of the world and for their pockets. But with new business comes mistakes.

Here are 5 things that every startup wishes they had known up front.

1. Learn Where You Want to Spend Your Time

You can have all the ideas in the world, but if you are not putting in the time, then what is the point of having the startup? Many startups will start with people that already have full-time jobs or are in school full time.

It is a matter of understanding that coming home after school or work is no excuse to not put in the time towards your small business. These are the best times in fact. You are away from your work life and if you feel uninspired for what you just experienced at work, then you can take this motivation and use it.

2. Taking a Small Step is Still a Step

A small step towards accomplishing your goals is still a step. Learn to celebrate the small tasks that get done. Even if it means that you contacted a person and only spent 5 minutes out of the day replying to that email, it is still a step.

Don’t beat yourself up over not taking bigger steps. Small steps can easily turn into strides.

3. Your Startup Can Use Advice

The best entrepreneurs know their weaknesses. They can pinpoint them and then hire around them.

Learning to listen to others leads to a great product or service. You create an interdisciplinary team that is taking steps to solve a problem that no single discipline could answer effectively.

4. The Prototype Is Not the Finished Product

The first go-around of your product is going to seem like it is an absolute failure. There are going to be problems with it and your dream is not quite finished yet.

Take the time to understand what the problems are and don’t be afraid to listen to customer feedback. There is a reason people of beta testers, reach out to loyal backers and see what they think. They can turn into your best customers this way.

If you are someone that has been affected by a defective product, be sure to check out your options here.

5. Don’t Forget About the Legal Portion

Putting together a business plan and prototype can be fun and exciting. Signing trademarks and patents do not. But skipping on the legal part of a startup can lead to major issues down the way.

Be sure to pair up with a business lawyer or expert that can walk you through all the steps to ensure your product or service is fully yours. This can ensure safety in the coming years when it comes to liability and competition.

Your Startup Can Make It With These Tips

A startup is just that, the start of something up and coming. Measure out your risks and what it takes to get your small business off the ground. The benefits of running your own business are plentiful and you’ll never want to go back to the normal 9 to 5 again.

If you enjoyed the article, be sure to check out the rest of our blog covering how to become an entrepreneur effectively. If you know someone that is in the process of creating their business, be sure to share this article with them.