There are certain qualities common to many Entrepreneurs. It’s safe to say that most successful Entrepreneurs possess at least some, and probably the majority, of these characteristics. This is not exclusive to entrepreneurship. If you want to be successful in anything you will need a combination of these attributes. You will have to focus on developing the traits that you currently don’t possess if you want to make it.

The thing about being someone extraordinary like you, someone who is pushing boundaries, is that all the usual challenges to a successful outcome become more extreme.

Being an entrepreneur is the severest test of anyone’s “character” and that’s the point. It’s not your skills or your charm or your age/race/color or creed it’s about you and your internal resources.

“Anyone who can face up to decision making can learn to be an entrepreneur and behave entrepreneurially….

Entrepreneurship is a behavior rather than a personality trait. In 30 years I have seen people of most diverse personalities and temperaments perform well in entrepreneurial challenges. Some entrepreneurs are ego-centric and others are painfully correct conformists. Some are fat and some are lean. Some entrepreneurs are worriers and some are relaxed…some have great charm and some have no more personality than a frozen mackerel!”

Peter Drucker

Persistence

‘Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination are omnipotent.’

Calvin Coolidge

In my opinion, there’s no single quality or trait that’s more important to being a successful entrepreneur. Persistence is what keeps you motivated when things aren’t going the way you thought they would – and they rarely do. The dictionary defines persistence as two words, persistent determination; but I shall increase the list to persistent determination, motivation, and belief.

Determination: Winners implement their ventures with total commitment. They seldom give up, even when confronted by obstacles that seem insurmountable. 

Motivation: You must be willing to keep trying when things go wrong, and accept that, ultimately, it’s up to you to make your dream come true. Motivation enables you to stick with your dream when the going gets rough; it has to come from within you.

Belief: You control your success or failure, and that it is not decided by luck, circumstance, or external events. Successful Entrepreneurs have an enduring belief in themselves that gives them the capacity to recover from serious defeat or disappointment.

Confidence

‘All you need is ignorance and confidence and the success is sure.’

Mark Twain

Together with persistence, you will need to start thinking about your confidence level.   You’ve got to have a good measure of confidence in yourself, but also in other people and in your surroundings. Self-confidence is an essential trait in an Entrepreneur because you’re regularly called upon to perform tasks and make decisions that require great amounts of faith in yourself. You need to have a strong but realistic belief in yourself and your ability to achieve your goals. 

Mark Twain’s seemingly contradictory quote highlights the fact that ‘ignorance‘ actually goes hand-in-hand with confidence for many new Entrepreneurs. They have no fear of the unknown, they just do it. In fact, if they knew what many people did they probably wouldn’t attempt the fantastic feats they do, as so many successful Entrepreneurs have done before them.

Without confidence, it would be very hard to get that first investor to give you a start or to encourage your first staff member to come on board or to sell to the first customer. You will discover that confidence has a bearing on almost all the critical milestones in any ventures’ success.

Vision

“Vision is the art of seeing the invisible.” 

Jonathan Swift

Entrepreneurs have a vision of what the future could be like for them and their businesses. And, more importantly, they have the ability to implement this vision or dream. Most great entrepreneurs have a strong desire to originate an idea or product, to develop something new, to be innovative and to make something happen. They want to imprint their dreams and ideas on a concept in a unique and different way. Often the idea can be pushing a boundary that society or industry has set and it can’t re-invent itself due its long history of operating in a particular way – that’s where a paradigm shift can make you very successful. Richard Branson is a perfect example of someone who is constantly trying to change businesses from music, to airlines to mobile phone and now banking. In each case there was an opportunity to re-invent the business for the benefit of the consumer and as a result he could build a new and flourishing company in an old stagnant market!

Action

‘Hatching an idea is only the beginning of the battle. The foundation for nearly every conspicuous American achievement, organization or institution was laid by the sweat and sacrifice and unconquerable perseverance of some man possessed by an idea he was willing to give his life for, if necessary.  Don’t make the mistake of imagining that an idea, no matter how good, can win its way in the world unless you have grit enough, backbone enough, enthusiasm enough to get behind it and push with all your might.’

Forbes, 1921

This is the part that sets apart those with the dream from those that succeed. It’s great to dream but you then need the ability to execute and turn the idea into reality and on to commercial viability. It’s critical once you believe in an idea that you make the step to some form of action right away in order to start building momentum towards your goals.99% of budding Entrepreneurs fail at this; they talk a good game but do not follow through. Winners decide on a course of action and they implement it as quickly as possible.

Once you do get started, being an Entrepreneur is all about getting things done, usually against the odds. It is about setting goals and exceeding them. Rather than being content with reaching goals, successful Entrepreneurs continue setting new goals to challenge themselves. They don’t procrastinate. They make decisions swiftly and this swiftness is a key factor in their success.

Dedication

“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”

Vince Lombardi 

No ‘ordinary’ amount of action is required to succeed; it requires your total dedication.

This dedication will be a combination of stamina, passion and commitment. A high level of stamina is essential in allowing you to meet the intense demands of running a business along with single-mindedness that will drive you until you reach your goal.

Winners give everything to their business right from its conception, sometimes at considerable cost to their relationships with their friends and families. They work tirelessly and with a tremendous amount of passion. Passion is particularly important for Entrepreneurs because, although rewarding, the process of starting and building a new firm is demanding. Twelve-hour days and seven-day weeks are not uncommon when an Entrepreneur is striving to get a business off the ground.

Of course this dedication must stem from a place of love or it is simply unsustainable. Entrepreneurs must love what they do. It is that love that drives them and gives them the energy to be totally dedicated when the going gets tough.

Faith

“All the strength and force of man comes from his faith in things unseen. He who believes is strong; he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions.” 

James Freeman Clarke

Most successful people in general as well as Entrepreneurs have had to take a leap of faith in their venture at some point to avoid defeat. They have to go the extra mile when all else seems lost. A well known and powerful little poem best illustrates this point:

“If you think you are beaten, you are;

If you think you dare not, you don’t;

If you’d like to win, but think you can’t it’s almost a cinch you won’t;

Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man;

But soon or late the man who wins is the one who thinks he can.”

Walter D. Wintle

As an Entrepreneur, there will be many times when you will have to have to demonstrate faith in your idea, your colleagues, your family and yourself. But you will need to go beyond the logical acceptance of the need for faith to actually finding it – it is not a tangible thing. Faith requires that you reflect and consider your position and then continue against all the logical evidence because you believe in your dream.

Do not confuse belief with faith:

“Faith is not belief. Belief is passive. Faith is active”

Edith Hamilton

Integrity 

“The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.” 

Dwight David Eisenhower

This may seem a less obvious trait in the list but I believe it’s one of the most powerful ways to succeed in the long term.

As the life of an Entrepreneur is a long term game it pays to live your life by strong principles and not to compromise these in order to achieve your goals. “You get what you give” is one of my touchstone phrases and a great mantra to live your life by.

You will have many opportunities take shortcuts along the road to entrepreneurial success but it rarely pays to do so, those that are honest and treat others with respect and fairness will be the ultimate winners. Experience has taught me that people will follow a person with true integrity into the wilderness and beyond, whereas a leader without morals will soon be alone when the money runs out.

Adaptability

“All fixed set patterns are incapable of adaptability or pliability. The truth is outside of all fixed patterns.” 

Bruce Lee

A truly successful Entrepreneur is totally flexible in the achievement of their outcome. They are receptive to change, can adjust perceptions, goals or action based on an assessment of new information.

One of the great benefits of a small or early stage business is the ability to change rapidly, often much faster than the competition. You may have to change your basic idea based on customer feedback. You may have to rethink the way you deliver a product; your go to market strategy; your sales method or one of the many of the other factors that affect success. The people involved in the journey with you will also need to change and adapt with you, the Entrepreneur.

Coupled with adaptability is versatility. You will need to be capable of dealing effectively with many subjects or tasks at the same time along with being able to assume different roles and switch back and forth as required.

Courage

“Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.”

Orison Swett Marden

As an entrepreneur, you will need to be able to face your fears and take action. You will have to overcome countless odds and believe me; it will pay to have nerves of steel. So many people fail when they are required to show their metal. In order to succeed you need to be able to find the internal resources to make the tough decisions along the road.  

Successful Entrepreneurs will often have had to give up their jobs to embark on a new venture. Deciding to risk the unknown, at the expense of a regular salary and benefits such as health insurance, pension plans and paid vacations takes immense courage.

In addition, the prospective entrepreneur frequently has to face friends, family, and maybe a spouse who do not always understand or support his or her desire for self-employment, with all its risk and uncertainty, and its drain on their time, energy, and resources.  With sustained courage and conviction, you’ll be surprised at how often things work out even better than you had ever expected them to.

Communication

“Certainly a leader needs a clear vision of the organization and where it is going, but a vision is of little value unless it is shared in a way so as to generate enthusiasm and commitment. Leadership and communication are inseparable.”

Claude Taylor

All of the traits we have discussed in this session would be pretty redundant without the ability to get your message across to all the relevant parties. If you cannot inspire, enthuse, motivate and excite people about your dreams then they will be much harder to achieve.

Excellent communication skills are critical in enabling you to interact well with people of varying personalities and values, many of whom will not necessarily share your passion or motivation. You will need to communicate yourself out of the many roadblocks you will meet along the way, from financing and legal to recruitment to simply helping people ‘get’ your idea. It all requires your ability to communicate effectively.

As such you must also be a consummate sales person. You must be able to use words and explain concepts effectively and persuasively, both verbally and in writing. You also need the ability to present proposals clearly to influence bankers or investors to supply money. Your communication skills will also be called upon in your dealings with employees, to help them understand the exact nature of their job and the results you expect, and also to encourage customers to buy from you.

The candidates most likely to be successful entrepreneurs will have some or all ten of the traits discussed – how do you measure up?

You are not expected to possess a complete and polished set from the outset but, can you see yourself in these characteristics or do you think you could learn them?

Questions to ask yourself

1. Are you willing to spend the next 7-10 years of your life on this idea?
2. If you run into hard times and it’s not working out (this could be years),
   would you be willing to push through?
3. Do you have real conviction and passion for the space or do you just want to
   start a company?
4. Are you willing to compete against 15-20 competitors with the same idea,
   and do you think you will win? Why will you win?
5. Is your personal network supportive of you starting a company?
6. Do you have sufficient savings set aside to sustain you while you fundraise?

Questions to ask your potential co-founder(s)

1. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Where do you want to spend most
   of your time? How would that change as the company matures?
2. How many hours are you willing to work a week? Would you be willing to take
   calls at odd hours or are there boundaries we should respect?
3. What would be an ideal exit for you? Acquisition or IPO? If acquisition, what
   price would you consider a win?
4. Should our team be co-located or distributed?
5. What culture would you like to build at our company?
6. How should we set founder equity?
7. What’s more important to you? Making money? Building a product or team?
8. Who would your ideal investors be? How much do you want to raise?
9. How would we resolve personal conflict between ourselves?

Questions to ask about your product/market

1. Are you going after building a new category or a better product in an existing
   category?
2. What are the large players already if this is an existing category?
3. Where will the budget come from if this is a new category?
4. Does your solution have enough value to justify a customer to pay the
   additional money or move the budget to your solution?
5. What is the long-term view of this market? Will this combine with another
   category, or do you believe this will become a standalone category?

These questions help clarify your commitment to the tough ride you will signing up for if you go ahead…!

• Identify the 3-5 key points you want the audience to remember. These will inevitably be the key points of the investment case. Build the presentation (or meeting) around these points.
• Limit the amount of information you give an audience, so that they don’t have any difficulty identifying the key points.
• Start with a strong statement, after which all your comments should reinforce the opening. The strong start should provide a theme for the presentation, which can be pulled together by reference to it at the end (e.g. “I said right at the start….”). That start may be your key message, or the reason why they should listen to your story.
• Back up key points with evidence in the form of facts and figures, but also use examples, analogies, metaphors, anecdotes and success stories to bring issues, especially abstract areas, alive and make them memorable. Every-day examples are best. Use just enough evidence to provoke interest in and discussion of the key point. That way the Q&A discussion is more likely to be centred around what you said i.e. the key points of the investment case you want them to agree with and remember.
• In general, look through your notes/script, once created, to see what visuals are needed. Visual aids should reinforce and clarify your message, not lead the presentation. By using visual aids to illustrate a point made by the speaker, the audience will see who is in control and gain a more positive impression of you the management team. If using slides, make sure that there are some blank slides in the presentation, to ensure that the audience’s attention returns to the speaker.
• If you are writing a script (only suitable for use with larger audiences, make sure it is written in spoken not grammatical English. Keep sentences short and snappy and break them up with dots ( …. ) to encourage conversational delivery. Use contractions such as “we’re” rather than “we are” and avoid literary, weak words such as “however” and “therefore” – use “but” and “so.”
• All audiences have limited attention spans. Short presentations are better than longer ones. A maximum of twenty minutes is a good guide.
• Close dramatically. Summarise the key points and end on an upbeat note by referring to your strong start and reinforcing – conversationally – the investment case.

Starting a business is so difficult, wrenching, exhilarating, terrifying, and joyous-all at the same time that it’s almost an unnatural act. 

Who wants to inflict that kind of trauma on themselves? Who wants to expose themselves to that kind of nsk? Who wants to throw every ounce of themselves into what may be a futile effort, especially when conventual businesses offer plenty of jobs? 

There’s no way around it: start-up entrepreneurs are temporarily insane. 

We endure emotional and financial hardship because we don’t know what we are doing. Either we’re ignorant of the risks or arrogant to the point of believing we are immune to failure. 

Temporary insanity, however, is not the only mark of an entrepreneur. We also want to make things happen. We are determined to achieve greatness. 

The essence of an entrepreneur is the diehard belief that we are the only ones able to make things happen. 

We go above and beyond to turn our dreams into reality. While entrepreneurs have the egos to strive for bigger-than-life achievements. The end goal is hardly the same for everyone. Some entrepreneurs crave giant bank accounts. Others hunger after power—either the power of control or the power of impact. I yearn to make people happy through commerce. 

That’s what drives, excites, and thrills my ego. I love to see my creations, decisions, and initiatives foster customer satisfaction and excitement. 

An important lesson I’ve learned as an entrepreneur is the importance of emotions. 

Some start-up business books emphasize mechanics: raising money, finding an idea, and marketing the idea. Sure, there are basic steps to learn but before you worry about mechanics, you should steel yourself for the emotional ups and downs inherent in the start-up world. 

Starting a business is rampant with emotional extremes. Strong emotions push you into the fray and carry you through to the end. But naming your emotions—joy, greed, passion, and fear—isn’t enough; you also need to harness them. 

Under the right circumstances, strong emotions can work in your favor. 

Emotions are like thoroughbreds; the fastest horse in the world wouldn’t win a single race if not for the jockey guiding and directing its explosive energy. 

Terror is to be expected. Starting a business is terrifying. Let’s face it: most entrepreneurs fail. 

But terror can be healthy if you aren’t paralyzed by it. 

Fear forces you to think. Fear of failure pushes you to work harder than you ever thought possible. 

Let your terror focus and fuel your determination.

Source: CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR

Finding a mentor is the best way to learn what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Mentors can teach you the ins and outs of a business and be helpful role models. 

Consider these tips: 

Know you need a mentor. 

The more ambitious you are, the more help you’ll require. 

Prioritize a mentoring relationship. 

Seek out a good mentor just as you’d seek out a great location, a favorable contract, or a business partner. Make a list of the qualities you’d like to find in a mentor, and don’t settle for the first person who comes along. 

Show your appreciation. 

The best mentoring blossoms from a mutually beneficial relationship. What can you do to return the favor? Your contribution may be as simple as cleaning your mentor’s office or doing errands—look for a need your mentor has and fill it. 

Always be on the lookout for mentors.

They may be in unlikely places. Join a professional organization. The more you circulate in your chosen field, the more likely you are to bump into potential mentors. But keep an open mind; anyone can be a mentor. 

Be specific. 

Don’t approach a potential mentor with a vague cry for help. Be confident, and state your needs clearly. For example, don’t say, “I want to be an entrepreneur. Tell me everything you know.” Instead, focus on your request—for example: “I want to be in the pharmacy business, and I know you are an expert in the field. Could you give me feedback on the viability of my business plan?” 

Do your homework. 

Before approaching a potential mentor, find out as much as you can about him or her. Question people who know this person. Familiarize yourself with his or her background. Your goal is for your potential mentor to see your due diligence as a sign of respect and an indication of your seriousness. 

Mentor others. 

People who go out of their way to help others attract people who want to help them. And sometimes, the best way to repay a mentor is to pay it forward.

Source: CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR

Starting a business often comes with strong emotions.

Joy is often present when starting a business. Call it happiness, exhilaration, or excitement. All can be helpful, but joy shouldn’t be the base of your emotional foundation. Ultimately business decisions need to be grounded in logic, not elation. 

Greed is also inherent to starting a business. Human nature is to want. Greed is motivating, but if it consumes you, it will cloud your decision-making and set you up for failure. 

Passion certainly drives most successful entrepreneurs. Few people would bother starting a business if it weren’t for passion. As with all other emotions, passion must be brought under control. No one succeeds by letting passion run wild. 

Last but not least is desperation. Most people don’t equate being desperate with being an entrepreneur, but I find the two inseparable. Starting a business is often an act of desperation. Entrepreneurs are desperate for success and accomplishment. Desperation pushes us to take huge risks, leave comfort and security behind, and allow a business to consume our lives.

The ability to harness one’s ego and emotions are just two must-have qualities of an entrepreneur. 

Here are some other lessons I’ve learned: 

Don’t be afraid to ask for support 

Because starting a business is an emotional rollercoaster, and you need support. It helps to surround yourself with people who can tell you not to worry about your mistakes. You also need people to tell you to stop being a jerk or to slow down. We all need someone to give us a hard time occasionally. We all need outside perspectives. Asking for help is not being weak; it’s being smart. 

Be prepared to give up your life. 

They say, “Start your own business, and be your own boss.” It doesn’t work like that. The truth is really the opposite: when you start a business, you become a slave. A business brings constant pressures, risks, and fears. When you start a business, there are no days off; it is always with you. 

Learn from your mistakes. 

Sure, this is a familiar refrain, but it’s one you better know how to sing. My success is rooted in my ability to recognize my blunders, learn from them, and move past them. I hope you’ll learn from some of my errors and discover how to learn from yours. 

Most important, choose your business based on who you are.

Choosing the right business means knowing yourself. There are many paths to success, and no two are alike. 

As an entrepreneur, picking a business is the most significant decision you’ll ever make. 

Ask yourself: 

• Why are you starting a business? 
• Why are you starting this particular business? 

The answers to these questions will help you chart your destiny. 

Being a serial entrepreneur suits my personality, but it’s not suitable for everyone. The start-up world is messy, risky, and intense. If you like structure, logic, comfort, and predictability or prefer to focus on one task at a time, the start-up world may not be for you. 

Source: CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR

What makes some people stand out, even in an extraordinary crowd? Stanford Graduate School of Businesses lecturer Amy Wilkinson interviewed over 200 of the world’s top entrepreneurs to find out.

1. 1:28 Spots the gaps.

Example; 2:02 Under armour.

2. 3:33 Drive for daylight.

Example; 4:09 Airbnb.

3. 5:42 Fly the ODDA LOOP.(‘OODA’= Observe Orient Decide Act)

Example; 7:07 PayPal.

4. 8:40 Fail wisely.

Example; 9:32 Stella and dot.

5. 10:18 Network minds.

Example; 11:11 General electrics.

6. 13:21 Gifting small goods.

Your current work environment probably gives you immediate access to lots of people (prospective customers, experts, support). You lose some of this when you quit. 

2. Cash flow 

Every entrepreneur is optimistic; your business will take twice as long as you think to become profitable. Keep the job cash coming in, even if it appears “so small” compared to what you”plan” to be making. 

3. Momentum 

Most work environments provide a pace, a routine, and a flow. You’ll lose this quickly when you’re on your own. 

4. Support 

Better to start your business while still working at a straight job because you need the love and support that coworkers can provide, given that starting a small business is stressful and often fear-producing. 

5. Integrity 

Keeping the paycheck coming in is right unless you have two to three years of cash in the bank. The moment you put yourself at unnecessary financial risk. You’ll likely attract nasty surprises and setbacks. Not fair, but often true. 

6. Equipment 

Often you can use the software, computers, copy machines, faxes, etc., at your office, thus saving you money as you start your company. 

7. Time to test out your product or service 

Most businesses fail, so don’t think you’re more significant than the statistics! Give yourself plenty of time to experiment, test and improve your idea or product to the point that it sells itself. You need time to make your product or service viable. 

8. Networking opportunities 

Now that you know you’re going to start a business, every meeting, conference, or get-together now serves two purposes­ your straight job and your new business. 

9. Structure 

Sometimes, you need the structure of your regular job to help you transition to the self-structuring of your entrepreneurial job. 

10. Inside information 

It’s much easier to stay in touch with the industry and the business world within a big company than within a start-up organization. Larger companies have access to much more information than small organizations do. You may need that information. 

During my career, I’ve started four intentional businesses and a couple of unintentional ones. Through it all, I’ve learned a lot about what it takes to pick a winner.

Here is some food for thought:

Base your decision on logic, not emotion. Many people let feelings and passion steer them toward a business, but don’t let your heart call the shots. Starting a business is a logical decision.

Stay focused on the important questions: Who are you? Where do you fit? Who are your competitors? Stick with the familiar. Choose something that feels comfort able. Pick something else if it doesn’t feel like a natural fit for your skills and personality.

Prioritize fun. If you don’t enjoy your work, you won’t succeed. Look for a business with the potential to be deeply satisfying. You are about to dedicate your life to this business, so it better be something you love. If your customers see you having fun, they’ll keep coming back.

Choose a business within your grasp. The desire to create your ultimate dream business right away is tempting, but you need to start small. Think of your first business as a stepping-stone to bigger and better things.

Enter an established field. If your business idea is 100 percent original, there is a reason that no one else is doing it. Look around at what other businesspeople are doing. What works for them, and what doesn’t? Both mistakes and innovations are best learned by watching others make them first.

Know your risk tolerance. Make sure you pick a level of risk that is appropriate for you. Various businesses have different levels of risk. For instance, a franchise can be very low risk because everything has been worked out. Creating a new business model, however, is extremely risky. How much risk can you accept and still sleep well at night?

Focus on short-term goals. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Forget about designing a business for the next decade; instead, prepare it for the next year. If you’re already envisioning your business as a successful national chain, take a big step back.

How will you get there? How does the business ramp? How will you get through all the early hurdles to establish yourself? The small bumps, in the beginning, are usually more treacherous than the enormous obstacles down the road. 

Source: Confessions of a Serial Entrepreneur
by Stuart Skorman

Don’t marry a single idea. Remember, ideas are the currency of entrepreneurs. Play with many ideas and see which ones bring money and success.

2. Trying to be something other than an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurs are entrepreneurs.You’ll give yourself a hernia if you try to act like other people.Your difference is your strength.

3. Believing your own spin.

Entrepreneurs are genetically wired to be optimistic. Just don’t believe everything you say to others.

4. Ignoring your cash position.

The world doesn’t respond even to superior products in the time frame that you think they should.You’ll need plenty of cash to sustain yourself in the meantime.

5. Attracting weak staff members.

Not that many great employees will put up with a mercurial or childish/immature entrepreneur. If you’re attracting weak people, you’ll need to mature as a human being.

6. Confusing possibility with reality.

The successful entrepreneur lives in a world of possibility but spends money in the world of reality.

7. Selling too hard.

If you find yourself selling an idea or product too hard to too many people, perhaps its time to listen to why they are not buying and learn from that instead of trying to become a better salesperson.

8. Not setting up support structures.

Hire people and services to handle many of your business and personal needs. Most entrepreneurs do better when they are fully supported, even if transparently.

9.Over-delegating.

Most entrepreneurs over-delegate tasks and accountabilities to others, also known as “dumping.” Its far better to learn how to delegate rather than dump; that is, give others the information they need to do the job, then get out of the way.

10. Giving up.

Some of the most successful entrepreneurs failed several times before doing extremely well. So, if you’re failing, fail. And fail fast And team. And try again, with this new wisdom. Do not give up.

Startup School for Future Founders

A free, 6-week online course for aspiring startup founders.Learn how to start a company with help from the world’s best accelerator – Y Combinator.

https://www.startupschool.org

If you are thinking about a startup, not now, in the future try this one:

https://www.startupschool.org/future-founders

Startup Playbook

Written by Sam Altman, it’s the most generalizable parts of this advice into a sort of playbook we could give YC and YC Fellowship companies. This is meant for people new to the world of startups.

https://playbook.samaltman.com