A few weeks ago I was posed with a new question.

Q: What would you ask a new start-up or set of people thinking about a starting one.

I believe that there are a lot people disillusioned about startups by the ‘quick success’ or the promise of short hours. There are no quick successes, nor are there many half days. So here are my questions, and then some comments.

• Can you define you goal in less than 140 characters, without specifying underlying technologies?
• What makes you different?
• What makes you better?
• Are you ready to make this a priority?
• Are you in this for the $$ or the ‘thing’ you are doing? (The right answer is the latter)
• How stubborn are you. You need to not accept failure. You need to get back up when you fall down. However, you do need to acknowledge and respond to criticism.
• How attached are you to your idea? Are you willing to change with it? Your idea is going to evolve. Are you ready for that?
• Are you excited ?? (‘Yes.’ is the wrong answer. We are actually looking for ‘YES!!!!! LETS DO IT!!!’ )

My Comments

This is going to be hard. You are going to need to put in some long hours, pound on doors, and not accept failure. Success takes time. A lot of time. This only works if you are excited to get up at 6:00am and sad when you have to leave at 8:00pm. You are going to have the privileged of trading in your old life. For this you get…

• to leave 9-5 behind.
• take your work home with you.
• hold your future in your own hands.
• own your failures.
• make a difference
• make the rules.
• be yourself.

and

• build something awesome !