Bilal Ahmed

The Startup Book: Entrepreneurship Training Manual Bilal Ahmed

Building a startup is tough. There are many battles to fight. There are many things to learn. Many of us have dealt with investors so this is a great opportunity to be humble no matter how smart we are. The time is ticking. There is much to be done. At the end, we have the ability and opportunity to transform into something completely different. A startup is about solving problems. Invent an offering that has never been done before. A successful startup is a paradigm shift. Everyone benefits from the venture. The angel investors and venture capitalists closely monitor the progress. Building a product with the best execution is the end goal. The customers have to be communicated with, make them part of the execution model. Based on feedback, the application model pivots. Every change needs to be considered with revenue model. Who will pay for this service? Is it one time charge model, monthly subscription or pay per click? All these questions must be addressed as early as possible. What is the target audience? Are these casual users or business customers? The user acquisition model changes dramatically once we see the full picture. Startups test our DNA. The entrepreneur faces many mental and emotional barriers. Friends become foes. There is lots of competition. Both from our loved ones that are witnessing our growth and also business startups. In the midst of everything, you have to find the best to help you. May it be coworkers, customers or investors. You also have to meet the industry greats in person. I have met founders of both twitter and facebook in person, Mark Zuckerberg and Ev Williams. There are some great minds, investors that shape the face of many greatest startups out there to learn from. Unless we make contact with them, it's hard to determine our full potential.