Wednesday, March 26, 2008

My best startup advice

Strange for this to be such an early post in the blog--you'd think epiphanies like this would come later--but it's certainly useful early on.

Solve a problem that affects you.

Look at open source software; the developers are driven by a common problem, not by money (but perhaps recognition).  Define success as making your life easier and gaining experience.  You'll gain more--in both experience and recognition--through the completion of a profitless startup than by abandoning a potentially profitable one.  Yes, a business model is great, but don't focus too much on it.  A business model doesn't define a good idea; it's just a criterion for a potentially profitable idea.

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