Startup founders: Your leadership doesn’t have to be "perfect", just "genuine". You should not try to be loved, but aim to be fair.

Startup founders: Your leadership has to be "perfect", not just "genuine". You should try to be loved by everyone.

Great startups are built when opportunity meets an almost irrational sense of self-belief :)

Great startups are best built on rational planning and conservative estimates.

Not every startup needs to become a unicorn. Building a company that makes its customers happy is good enough.

Every startup should aim to become a unicorn. Building a company that makes its customers happy is mainstream.

Build a services company first. Let it be the "VC investor" for your future dream startup.

Build a product company and let VCs handle the bills.

Start a service => Grow your client base slowly => Add tech to productize it => Build a brand => Scale a startup.

Start with a scalable product => Grow your user base rapidly => Add features constantly => Build hype => Aim for unicorn status.

Execution > Idea

Execution < Idea

A startup not trying to make money is not a business but a project. Overall, startups become a true business and more than a project when they make revenue from customers, NOT funding from investors.

A startup not trying to make money from day one is the best business model. Overall, startups become a true business when they secure funding from investors.

Having too much money in the early stages of building a startup can be an absolute curse. Your stupidity has no consequences.

Having too much money in the early stages of building a startup is a blessing. Your mistakes have no consequences.