It's the holiday season, and we're approaching 2 years of building
@InteguruAI. I reflected on this journey and hope these lessons are useful to others.
1. Momentum compounds with time and effort.
@ycombinator partners told our batch that companies see a significant increase in the likelihood of success after making it past 2 years. As we approach that milestone, Iβm starting to see our hard work pay off (though we still have much work to do!). Startup momentum occurs when you stay alive and continue to engage with customers. Every line of code and every minute with customers adds to your expertise and reputation. Don't die and keep moving.
2. Startups are built by doing, not by thinking.
Startup progress favors doers far more than thinkers. This may be why nerds often have a better time building startups on average. People may assume that startups are planned from whiteboarding sessions. In reality, many important insights are gathered during execution. We listen to customers and push our engineering. Along the way, we gain knowledge we wouldn't have gained without real work. For founders who're just starting or pivoting, I recommend committing real time and energy into one direction and diving deep.
3. Your cofounder relationship should be a top priority.
Some say cofounder relationships are like a marriage. I wouldn't know whether this is true because I haven't married. But I can attest that a great cofounder relationship makes the startup a shared passion, while I've seen poor ones turn the experience into hell. Seek uncomfortable and radically honest communication. Hold each other's best interests at heart. Nurture this relationship, and it'll propel your startup to new heights.
4. FOMO isn't going to help anyone.
Great artists steal, but it doesn't mean they steal everything. Others' decisions and actions shouldn't be driving forces for your own. Pay less attention to TechCrunch articles and more to customers. This takes discipline, but true insights root from focus and deep trust in the right process.
5. Remember that building startups is a privilege.
Building a startup is hard, but our lives could be much worse. Remembering that we're privileged to pursue our visions for the world puts our challenges in context. I try to remind myself and my team to cherish the good and the bad. Since we're dedicating years of our lives to something, let's enjoy and feel grateful that we're in a position to do so.