The Naked Truth About Startup

    A huge number of articles and news about the success of a startup can be found today on the Internet every day. Multimillion-dollar investments, discussed services and products, viral videos about the geniuses of entrepreneurship: all this makes you think about creating your own project. You begin to study this topic, become interested in new marketing strategies, excitedly read books of popular business gurus and eventually find the idea that can make you a millionaire. Are you sure that since many have achieved such success, it is not so difficult. There are guides on the Internet, investors and government funds, as well as full information on easy business methods. What could be easier with such a cool idea like mine ?!

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    After watching inspirational materials, you have to find out the bare truth about startups.

    1) Nobody needs you. This is the first bitter truth that should be understood by anyone who opens their startup. Neither Internet users, your potential customers, nor government programs that “blow” to help young entrepreneurs, nor the entire banking system that offers attractive loans to start you just do not need. Let's start the “flight analysis” from the end.

    To begin with, it should be noted that taking a loan in any bank, immediately after you had an idea or a prototype was created, the idea is pretty stupid. Money, even big enough (although who will give it to you honestly?) Will end so quickly that you will not have time to look back. But the debt will remain. And you have to give it. Whether you want it or not. Therefore, wait at least until you start to make a profit that will not only allow you to repay the loan, but also provide you with everything you need to exist. Moreover, study all the banking offers for small businesses in the market, as taking a regular loan is sometimes more profitable.

    Next are government programs and organizations supporting entrepreneurship. Having visited several of these organizations and their events, I came to the conclusion that they can give nothing but information, by and large. And they take the information from the Internet. Therefore, it is better to read popular sites about startups and young entrepreneurs. Most articles, especially articles on growth hacks, have been written from other people's experiences. They are quite relevant and can give you ideas on how to develop your startup.

    And finally, your potential customers. Firstly, to convey to them the very idea of ​​your innovative product and to gain their trust will be very, very difficult. Secondly, getting them to pay money for your product will be almost unrealistic in the early stages. Thirdly, the likes and reposts that you will receive on social networks by conducting advertising campaigns will not make you a profit. A user of the social network, seeing 1000 likes and 1000 reposts under a post, may simply be interested in your offer and put his 1001 likes, but this does not mean that he is ready to buy your product. Accept, likes - not customers!

    2) Time is a loose concept.When planning to create a project, many people, having read smart books, begin to develop a detailed business plan and set the deadlines for its implementation almost by the hour. And now, at the very end of the work, they are absolutely sure that they will be able to realize it and "begin to make profit in 6 months." No matter how. Over time, much in this regard will be further developed and improved. You will have new ideas or you will abandon old ones. So in advance, double the implementation period. And if you do not have programming or engineering skills then - 4 times.
    You will be happy if you can finish the creation of the project earlier and begin the further phase.

    3) It's all about people.No matter how cloying it may sound, but your team is 70% of the success of your business. One person in a million will be able to create a demanded project, working alone. And this person is not you. And do not hope.
    Without a doubt, you can start the implementation yourself, but do not stop looking for people in the team. Look not for those who “lick your ass”, praising your idea, but those who can really help with something in practice, since in the first case all activities will be limited to words and will delay your project for an indefinite period.

    4) The cost of the project.Well, have you already calculated how much your idea will cost you? Well done. And now boldly add 20% - 30% to expenses. There will be unforeseen expenses throughout your business journey. Moreover, soon you will encounter services that require regular monthly expenses that you did not take into account. It will take a lot of money, and when you can monetize the project is not known.

    5) Pre-design stage. An incredible number of people have already gotten bumps with their startups and are now writing articles and recommendations that the idea should be tested before starting something serious.
    First of all, it is necessary to answer the most tricky question: is your project just cool or does the problem really exist that it solves. A lot of people do what they think is interesting, funny or "for fun." Of course, there is some likelihood that he will "shoot", but what are the chances?

    Open your blog, conduct a survey, create a page on the social network or landing page to get the first reviews and customers. Communicate, ask, find out. At the same time, try to spend as little money as possible on all this. Soon they will come in handy.
    It would also be nice to learn about competitors: whether they exist and how they promote their products. Did not find in Russia? Look at foreign sites where startups gather. With a 90% probability, I can say that such an idea already exists and, perhaps, it has recently received major investments. And this means that in Russia, other entrepreneurs have begun the creation of such projects, and you have less and less time to implement yours. Do not be fooled. As a result, spend money, time and nerves.

    6) Work on the project. Despite all the "pitfalls" of entrepreneurship, you decided to start creating your own business and seriously began to develop it. After some time, one way or another, ideas are depleted, and you do not know what to do next. You fall into a stupor and slowly abandon development.

    To prevent this from happening, begin in parallel the creation of another small project, less significant, but interesting for you. It's hard to explain, but when you switch between two projects, you will give your brain a break from focusing too much on one project. Pursuing one, you will have ideas for another, and vice versa.

    7) Investors and funds. Favorite topic of all entrepreneurs. “Here we will make the project, receive investments, we will show off!” - this is what most novice businessmen think. No matter how! You will not get anything!
    Think about it yourself: how many proposals for financing startups do they receive every day? The chance that they will notice you is extremely small. And in the initial stages it simply is not. You may not agree, saying that there are investors who invest in startups in the early stages. I will answer you: you will not fit them. There are also not stupid people sitting there who value many factors before investing their personal savings. They look at how “star” your team is, where they worked before, and what experience they have, whether you still have a successful business, how big the market is, who you are competitors and much more.
    You can write to them, start business relations and talk about the achievements of the company, but until the moment you have income, the chances of getting an investment are practically zero. Do not think that the "uncle" will come and make you rich. Work!

    Do not be naive and do not start your own business without weighing all the pros and cons. You will spend more money and time than you think. And after everything that you go through, there is no guarantee that your business will pay off or become profitable.

    On the other hand, never listen to someone who discourages you from starting your business. Read articles and success stories, look for ways to implement your idea, even with small steps, but move forward. In the end, you will only be glad that you did what you wanted.

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