So, it's been almost a year that I have been doing this entrepreneur and business creation shindig. Honestly, it has been the craziest, most intense, emotion filled year of my life. Its intense how much knowledge I have picked up, along with some of the accomplishments. Sitting at the table with heads of some of the largest companies in the industry at 19 (now 20) is a trip. Being on the headlines of MTV adds a nice twist. Most importantly, waking up every morning and truly loving what your doing is definitely the greatest feeling of all. Knowing that what youre doing is being looked at by tons of people and being respected is pretty amazing. I always say, I could never sing, so the rockstar thing was out, and I could never really catch a football too well, so the athlete thing was out of the way, but... I was good at that whole leadership and deal making thing. Hence, I started a company. I figured I'd pair it up with technology, the one thing in life I have a devout passion for. So here are my insights after being a dotcommer startup CEO for the past year.
The Product Should Be Nothing Short of Perfect
Perfect d0es NOT mean flawless and bugless. God knows we all have those problems with a dotcom startup, thats what a Beta is there for, right? I'm talking about, make sure your heart and your soul are into it. Make sure it is something that you are proud to tell people about. Make sure it is something that you would be a user of EVERY single day of your life. Be excited about it. The product is like your child, care for it. Maybe that sounds really deep, but it needs to be.
Think Outside The Box
Be afraid to think different. Apple did it, and created an industry. Dare to go where no one has gone before. Technology has no limits really, that is what makes it so incredible. Look at whats there and see how to do it better, but DIFFERENT. Make something people want to talk about, write about, and be a part of.
You Are Your Biggest Enemy
Forget the competition some of the time, and just focus on yourself. If you create a great product, that people will find to be a necessity, then you are set, right? Just enjoy it, make something cool, something different. If you tell yourself that "my competition" is better, then just be different. Your only defeat can come within. Push through until 5 AM, or go with no sleep. Take yourself to new heights, and do things you thought you could never do. Walt Disney was right, it's fun to do the impossible. Only you can declare defeat, no one else. When a war is lost, it was never the winner that declared the other team lost, it was the losing party. you decide when you want to lose.
Its Only Work If Youd Rather Be Doing Something Else
Make sure this is the only thing youd rather be doing NOW. Maybe down the road you will want to do something else, but this is it for right now. If youd rather be doing something else, then go and do that. Change is the ammunition for greatness :-)
LISTEN TO OTHERS
You do not know anything. that's right Mr. CEO, you KNOW nothing. Your users and customers know it all as a collective whole. They hold everything you want to know. Go out and learn it.
Confident, NOT Cocky
If you're not sure of yourself, then why are you doing it? Give answers and make sure you let people know that you're definite about it. Even if that answer is "I don't know", then let it be known you are definite about it. Just like girls like confidence, business likes it too.
Your Team Is Your Family
Many may disagree with this statement, but well they can blog on that. Your team is your family. Hang out with them, trust them, and make sure you treat them as equals. that trust will show in the product, the board room, the interviews, and more. you are a company, not an individual. A CEO may be a leader, but it is only as good as its team members and partners. Would you ever betray your family, I hope not. Don't betray your team. Once that trust is gone, then most things are gone.
Partnerships, Partnerships, PARTNERSHIPS
Work with other companies. you all have something to gain and win. Trade and partnerships are key. Making friends with their friends is always key as well.
Your Investors Need to Be Active
Nuff' said. If it is good enough, youll have choices for investors. Pick the ones you can get a beer with after signing the term sheet.
So lastly, if there are any readers with a .edu that want to beta test UGather, let us know. This is truly an awesome site, that students are going to use as a major resource. social networking was a nice spark, but its not the end game. The end game, is what those users contribute to the community, not who they are on a profile page. More to come about UGather.
Sincerely,
Jason L. Baptiste
CEO of Viral Ventures
