What If It Doesn't Work..?

My response to this question is usually, "...but what if it does?!"

I have sat across the table from a number of people while on this journey and been amazed that the question about success or failure is frankly always about the potential for failure.

My Precious

Someone once told me that a start-up business is 10% idea and 90% execution. Whether that is scientific or otherwise, there are certainly many entrepreneurs out there that, like the infamous character Gollum in Lord of the Rings, prefer to hide away, deep underground, quietly polishing their idea and gazing upon it fondly.

Document Everything...

I once worked with a company that helped troubled businesses turn around or successful businesses prepare for sale. A recurring theme when they reviewed such businesses was that they rarely had complete documentation that could explain to a prospective buyer what  they did, who was responsible, how everything worked, etc. The end result was often a lowering of the final valuation and ultimately a loss to those exiting the organisation.

Is it Legal?

One thing I wish I had done earlier was establish the legal structure of the company and select legal representation. That's not to say that delaying the choice has caused any major problems but in hindsight choosing sooner could have yielded some very useful benefits and possibly accelerated the whole process.

Team Player

It is simply impossible to execute a startup business on your own. There aren't enough hours in the day. You probably already have job or are running a business, doing the thing that keeps the lights on while you dream about bringing your great idea to fruition. You need help...

Commercialise, Commercialise, Commercialise.

I chose to commercialise the concept. What does that mean? Well, beginning at the same point as everyone else, I thought I saw a gap in the market for a service that would address a pain point I perceived as being an issue for a substantially large enough group as to make the whole adventure worthwhile. However, instead of moving straight to building my "widget" and then looking for investors to support it (and hopefully customers willing to buy it), I decided to reverse that order of events.

If I Build It, They Will Come...

It's not just baseball fields - many of the startups you know and love took exactly this approach. Usually that meant the founding team were already skilled developers, so they could burn the candle at both ends (i.e. they already had day jobs they weren't ready to give up) to get v1.0 out the door at almost zero cost.

Stuff to Consider...

I have a lot of history to cover with this blog. About 19 months has passed, from the very first "light bulb" moment to where the business is now. Along the way, there have been some critical decisions, some delays, quite a bit of slippage, and numerous right-turns (hence "Pivot or Die").

Hoping you find this useful...

Admittedly, I don't have a lot of time for blogging. What with having a day job, the role of CEO for a startup venture and all that entails, and of course trying to have a life in general.