The 5 Biggest Mistakes New Startup Founders Make
Brian Stumbaugh
By no means am I here to halt your horses or thwart invention. Get out there and fight the good fight, that’s what you’re here for. Yet there are some egregious mistakes you should especially avoid if you want this stellar idea of yours to get off the ground.
Accelerators & Incubators
- Y Combinator
- Founders Space
- Techstars
- 500startups
- DreamIT Ventures
- Startupbootcamp
- Seedcamp
- The Alchemist Accelerator
- AngelPad
- Boost VC
- Nxtp.labs
- Betaspring
- AlphaLab
- Imagine K12
- Flashpoint
- Eleven Startup Accelerator
- RockHealth
- Le Camping
- Wayra
- The Brandery
- Upwest Labs
- Capital Innovators
- Rockstart Accelerator
- Blueprint Health
- HAXLR8R
- FounderFuel
- StartEngine
- Bethnal Green Ventures
- LaunchpadLA
- Amplify.LA
- Chinaccelerator
5 Amazing Business Books Which Give Priceless Advice for Business Leaders
Every year there are many new business books which find their way to the market. Whilst all offer advice and will assist in running a successful business there are a few which stand out more than all the others. There advice will truly help you drive your business forward; the best five are as follows:
- How to Win Friends and Influence People
Advice for Avoiding Common Startup Mistakes
Mistakes tend to happen for even the most seasoned startup veterans. Maybe you scaled too quickly, mistimed your product launch, or perhaps you just hired the wrong person. Whatever the reason, mistakes often provide a humbling opportunity for reflection and personal growth, and most importantly, give you an idea of what not to do going forward. At the end of the day however, there are some mistakes that can easily be avoided by listening to the advice of others.
Recommended Startup Books
Below are some incredible books recommended for entrepreneurs…
Our Picks:
- ReadSmartly (Book Summaries)
- The Entrepreneurial Bible to Venture Capital
- Big Data Demystified
- Why Startups Fail and How Yours Can Succeed
- The E-Myth Revisited
- Switch
- Rework
- The Art of the Start
- Generate Sales Leads with Virtual Events
- The Way of the VC
- Escape from Cubicle Nation
- Entrepreneur’s Guide to Patents & Copyrights
- Rich Dad’s Before You Quit Your Job
SHEER MADNESS #6: Slinging It: The Art of the Pitch
by Jim Burnett, founder of ExpertOpinions.info
“To pitch here is to live. People pitch their kids into good schools, pitch others on houses they can’t afford, and when they’re caught in the arms of the wrong person, pitch unlikely explanations. Hospitals pitch birthing centers, daycares pitch love, high schools pitch success, car dealers pitch luxury, counselors self-esteem, masseuses happy endings, cemeteries eternal rest. It’s endless, the pitching – endless, exhilarating, soul-sucking, and as unrelenting as death.”
Jess Walter, Beautiful Ruins
Failing Fast
by Howard Edelman, co-founder of BUILD
Several years ago I had decided to start my first medical device company. For the first year, I was slogging it alone in my garage building and testing prototypes and struggling to prove a concept. Given the stage of the project, it made the most sense to be on my own for time. I knew the project needed to be managed and executed this way until a certain amount of risk was removed. After that, maybe then the project would become something more. I thought I would be able to attract more capital and the right team members after I achieved certain goals.
Is It a Smart Idea to Join a Startup Incubator?
Mike Ryan discusses the value of joining a business incubator.
Don’t be another jack Out of the Box
Jack jumps out from his box and shouts out loud ‘I don’t want to live in here anymore, I want to build my own Big Box’. Jack thought he didn’t want to be just another Jack who lived in someone else’s box – he wanted to be different. He had the passion and he thought in his mind, “What more does one need to build his own big box, besides the passion to build one”.
Startup Virtue: Practice Patience or Fail Fast?
by Stamatis N. Astra, Founder & CEO at PhotOral
We entrepreneurs are wired to get things done. We are constantly chased by the burn rate, the pitch deadline, the release countdown and the launch date. We must say what we are doing and then simply do it. The latest mantra for startups is a lean and mean methodology, where eager angels can throw in a pittance of seed money to test your idea.
San Francisco Coworking Spaces, Including SOMAcentral, RocketSpace, Parisoma, NextSpace, CitizenSpace and more!
We work out of SOMAcentral on Townsend Street and love it! Below is a pretty comprehensive list of San Francisco co-working spaces:
- Citizen Space SF (SOMA) || Website • (415) 501-9155 • 425 Second Street, Suite 100, San Francisco, 94107
- Colearn Space (SOMA) || Website • (831) 295-1482 • 425 Second Street, Suite 101, San Francisco, 94107
- Connections SF (Financial District) || Website 415-268-3800 • 424 Clay Street 94111
- Comfy Chair (Financial District) || Website • (415) 984-0226 • 735 Montgomery Street, Suite 120, San Francisco, 94111
What It Takes to Make the Cut at a Startup Accelerator
Speakers include Pat Riley of Global Accelerators Network, Gabriella Draney of Tech Wildcatters, William Hsu of MuckerLab, and Jim Jen of AlphaLab.
How Do You Say “No” to People Who Want to Have Coffee and Pick Your Brain?
Watch this video from MarieTV. This is a lot of fun, and Marie is right on with her advice…
Angels and VCs Reveal What Every Entrepreneur Should Know
Scale VP’s Sharon Wienbar and Bridgewater’s Steve Kann, along Brian Cohen and First Round’s Howard Morgan, reveal what every entrepreneur should know.