Nikunj Adeshra’s Post

Over the past year, I’ve ran into many people stuck in the same scenario. They’re at a stable “day job,” but eager to take a shot at launching their own startup. Aspiring founders often think they need to fully quit before they can start working on their startup ideas. Others feel they have to be certain about exactly what their startup will be before they quit. The reality is that before quitting your job and going full-time on a startup, there are a lot of things you can do to both help you make the decision to make the leap and give you a head start. Here are 5 things to do before you quit your job and launch your startup 1: Start validating product assumptions 2: Start building an audience with your future customers 3: Start building relationships you’ll need on your journey 4: Figure out how much money you need and start saving 5: Set goals for a go/no-go decision Details on each of these 5 steps in this week's post https://lnkd.in/ea5a-R7J

Who is the most underrated founder in startups?   When I asked one of the most successful startup people I know, she quickly told me about Millie T. (Brilliant).   I recently interviewed Millie, and she taught me a ton about growing startups. 6 lessons below -   1. World-class founders hone 4 skills - resourcefulness, adaptability, resilience, & flexibility.   2. In biz, bootstrapped = “lifestyle business” and venture-backed = “worthy of praise” is a false dichotomy.   3. To know what type of company to build, be brutally honest about what they’re optimizing for. I.e., *What do you want? Not what the world tells you to want.   4. The hardest thing about being a CEO of a successful company is it’s impossible to make everyone happy all the time.   5. The hardest thing about starting a successful startup is your role changes every 6 months.   6. If you’re considering leaving a cushy gig like consulting for startups, do it. Worst case, it fails, and 9/10 times you can go back to your previous work.   👋 Catch our full chat on growing startups at moonwater[dot]studio/scale-mba (send #21) Keep crushing Millie & great chatting 👊

So you want to join a startup? Here is the #1 tip above all else Do you want to get started working in a startup? Or are you working in one now? I have been working in startups for 14 years now. And have grown them from 3 to over 500+ people in some cases. And what I can tell you (from experience) is that to work in a startup you need to be positive, resilient, and driven. So, here's the 1 tip I would give you: --It’s up to you! Yes, you!-- The amount of influence you have in a startup is insane! Imagine you are rowing on a boat with 4 people. How much do you think each person can influence the course of the boat? Your actions influence where and how fast you go. Your attitude has a massive effect on the small team around you. See something wrong? Raise your hand, mention it to the team, and if no one else is working on it start taking care of it now. You are that important. While you might not be one of the founders or feel you are not in a high-level position, I promise you, that everything you do has a huge impact on the collective So do your best! Give it everything you have, and as much initiative as possible. You will be proud and engaged and at a minimum, it will be an incredible and meaningful journey. Read this post and more on my Typeshare Social Blog: https://lnkd.in/gvENkYK2

East Coast people are considered “kind but not nice.” So you may not like what we have to say… The truth. Startups are imperfect. My job requires me to point out flaws. Then fix them. Founders, please be open. You may be rewarded by what I have to say. Well, now that we’ve got that covered… Let’s talk truths. Schedule a free 15-minute meeting now. LinkedIn has been good to me, so I'm getting booked up. Seriously, don't wait. #lifeadvice #startup #marketing #newjersey #losangeles P.S. Most founders like to be challenged. If you can handle feedback, let's talk.

In my early days as an angel investor, I saw firsthand how startup life is about doing more with less. Founders hustle with limited resources but unlimited drive. This is what makes startups so resilient and innovative. Starting out, budgets are tight, teams are small, and deadlines are looming. Founders must prioritize tasks that move the needle. They leverage free or low-cost tools, build strong networks, and rely on sheer determination. Efficiency is key. Automate repetitive tasks, delegate effectively, and track progress meticulously. These small steps can make a huge difference. As startups gain traction, they gradually increase investment, hire smartly, and optimize processes. This phase is exciting—doing more with more feels like a hard-earned reward. One founder I worked with started with just a laptop and a dream. Now, their startup has grown to a team of 50. Another bootstrapped their way to a million-dollar revenue with a lean team and smart strategies. The journey from doing more with less to doing more with more is challenging but immensely rewarding. What strategies have helped you succeed in the early stages of your startup? Let’s discuss it! 👇

In the startup world, one #truth remains constant Startups are always messy. Founders are tasked with achieving what companies might spend 100 to 1000 times more on, often with no guarantee of success. I've seen more corporate innovations (internal startups) fail than not and they all seem to spend 3 to 100 million per failure. This reality can be hard to grasp, especially for those in corporate roles where the daily tasks are far removed from the challenges faced by startup teams. You might have huge challenges in your job, in your role, in your area but you do not have that across 10 or 15 major areas of the business 24/7. If you think you can be the judge and jury, There's only one thing to do and that's to step into the role you criticize. We can also track, update and post the results online so everyone gets a front row seat to your awesomeness. That's what founders have to endure daily - we make bad hires, we get false starts, we run into technical challenges, customer problems that are hard to solve, so hard they could not solve them, and this list is endless. Be secure enough to let some fires burn. Be Brave enough to own something important for the startup. Be the leader that celebrates small wins. Be the person who your kids will admire 20 years from now because you did it. Credit Photo: Cory Blumenfeld (who did not give me permission to use his photo but I think he'd agree to my message - If Not I will take it down)

🌟 Joining a Startup: It's More Than Just a Job 🌟 Having navigated through roles in multinational corporations and corporate settings, I made a deliberate decision to transition into the startup realm. Here's why: When you join a startup, you're not just becoming another employee. You're joining a journey, a mission, and a community. Here's why: 🤝 Join the Founder, Not Just the Company: Startups are fueled by the passion and vision of their founders. By aligning yourself with the founder, you become part of something bigger than just a job. 🚀 Join the Mission, Not Just the Business: Beyond profits and revenue, startups are driven by a sense of purpose. When you join a startup, you're committing to a mission that's about making a difference in the world. 💡 Join the Value, Not Just the Valuation: It's not just about the numbers on a balance sheet. Startups value innovation, creativity, and the unique contributions of every team member. When you join a startup, your ideas and skills are what matter most. Remember, treating new team members well sets the tone for the entire startup culture. Let's build something amazing together! 💪 #StartupCulture #JoinTheMission #MakeADifference #purposedriven

Cool hack shared by Manoj Jonna on how to get a job at a startup .... Startups are messy ... There might not be an active job opening for the role you'd like, but if you really are interested in the startup ... research the startup, the founders and the industry well, reach out directly to the founders (very easy to guess their emails) and tell them how you can add value ... and most importantly ... be flexible! Be willing to learn what you dont know, and be willing to do things you might not like doing today! You most likely will find a founder who might take a bet on you! coz which founder doesn't like a hustle :) Do listen to the 90 second clip from our conversation where he shares his story on how he got his first job at a startup!

It’s ironic – the more I support others on their startup journeys, the more inspired I am to dive back into my own. I founded my first business back in 2009. Over the past 15 years, I’ve explored 58 different ideas (yes, I still have my one-minute pitch for every single one), which led to 16 real businesses. These have ranged from a few weak ideas that never took off to ventures valued close to £100m – and everything in between. So, what does it really take to build a successful startup? • An idea that truly solves a problem you and others face • The passion to see it through • Access to capital • Mentorship from those who’ve been there • A strong support network • A clear plan with a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) • Mini milestones that mark progress At the heart of every great startup is an idea that solves a real problem, driven by founders and the core team. Those first 10 hires make all the difference (I still have two of my first 10 with me 11 years on). But even with passion and a fantastic team, without capital, experience and a clear plan, your startup will struggle. So, if you’re a startup looking for capital, mentorship, strategic support, and a roadmap to success, let’s talk. Drop me an email at dan@danware.co.uk, or reach out via DM. Let’s make something great happen!

What surprised you the most about starting a startup? This is a question to all startup founders: 1. How the relationship between co-founders goes from friendship to a marriage 2. Investors are clueless 3. Ideas can change eventually, and you can never tell what will work 4. Getting people to use a new product or service is very difficult 5. Most people that write VC on their LinkedIn bio are actually analysts 6. Luck is a big factor 7. The willingness of other startups to help you 8. Outside the startup world, you get no respect 9. Your job description as Co-founder/CEO is rewritten every 6-12 months 10. You sleep better, and it is fun doing what you do 11. How much coffee you end up drinking