Founder Tips. Stanislav Protasov, Acronis Vice President of Development

The first piece of advice — especially if we're talking about entrepreneurs just starting out — is to agree clearly from the start.

Very often people prefer not to touch some things, leave them unspoken. Whether intentionally, out of cunning, out of modesty - it does not matter. Conditionally, hiring an employee does not say that the office is located on the outskirts, in an uncomfortable place, hoping that when a person agrees in principle, then it will be difficult for him to refuse later. But this is a simple example, and there are situations much more complicated and confusing. You have to understand that sooner or later unresolved issues will come up - and the later this happens, the more difficult it will be to solve them and the more losses you will suffer. And often they eventually become what the project falls apart.

Second tip - don't be afraid to make mistakes

There is one good phrase - I don’t remember who its author is already - "a bad plan is better than its absence." Often, young entrepreneurs are afraid to make a plan precisely because of the fear of mistakes. Yes, your plan may be deeply mistaken, but it gives you a goal, a trajectory of movement. At some point, you will still understand your mistakes and correct it. But if it is not there, you simply move randomly. And everyone makes mistakes - on this account there is another quote attributed to Winston Churchill: “Success is the path from one failure to another.”

The third tip is not to be afraid to part with people who are not suitable.

I constantly see such fear among young managers. There are usually two explanations. Either the desire to re-educate, or pity - in the spirit of "a person has small children, a mortgage, how to fire him." But here it must be understood that you are first of all rendering him a disservice - you are not giving him the opportunity to find a place of work where he can really open up and realize himself. Everyone has such a place. And for yourself, just put off the moment when you still have to part with it.