Pratham Maliwad’s Post

Running a startup is a thrilling rollercoaster ride, but it can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind and miss some crucial steps. Here are 5 basic things many founders overlook, but can make a big difference: 1. Forget the Blueprint: Your amazing idea deserves a roadmap! Document your product concept - features, target audience, market fit. This living document helps you stay focused and adapt as your business evolves. 2. Fly Blind? No Way! Month-to-month goals are your North Star. Track performance against these goals to identify areas needing improvement. Are you reaching user acquisition targets? Is user engagement lagging? Data insights are your secret weapon! 3. Unleash Your Team Power: Knowledge is power! Give even junior members visibility into your strategy. They'll be more engaged, understand their role in the bigger picture, and contribute valuable fresh perspectives. 4. Accountability from Day One: Urgency and results matter from day zero. Set clear expectations and hold everyone accountable for achieving goals. This fosters a culture of ownership and drives rapid progress. 5. Passion Pays Off: Hire for passion, not just skills. Look for people who care as much about building the brand as their paycheck. This dedicated team will go the extra mile, fueling your startup's success. Remember, these are just a few key ingredients for a thriving startup. What other tips would you add? Share your thoughts in the comments! #startuplife #entrepreneur #growthmindset #accountability #teamwork #datadriven #passion

How Can I Choose the Best Career Path Amid Startup Burnout? Answers: https://lnkd.in/dpchXbzE #StartupStruggles #CareerChoices #EntrepreneurialJourney Hey everyone! I just wanted to take a moment to share what’s been weighing on my mind lately. I know this is a tricky situation I’m in, and I’m not really expecting anyone to hand me a clear answer, but if you’ve been in a similar boot, I’d love to hear how you approached it! So, I’ve been a CTO in the startup world for the past 8 years, and if I'm being honest, I haven’t always picked the best projects or conditions. I chased the startup dream without really crunching the numbers on feasibility. Looking back, if I had stayed in my FAANG job, I’d probably be sitting pretty financially and inching closer to my dream of financial freedom. But here’s the catch: I genuinely loved the journey, learned heaps, and enjoyed the freedom that came with it—even if it didn’t lead to greenbacks. Now I find myself at a major crossroad: about a year of runway ahead of me and a kid to care for! 🤯 Here are the three paths I’m considering: Path 1: Start a new startup. Armed with the lessons learned, I feel better equipped to ...

🚀 Working at a startup means hustle, but don’t forget the power of time off! 🚀 In a startup, the stakes are high and the pace is fast. We’re all about building, innovating, and pushing the boundaries - and that requires hard work. But here’s the catch: innovation thrives on fresh perspectives. To bring your best, you need to give yourself time to rest, read up on other world events, learn something new, and recharge. Burnout doesn’t lead to breakthrough ideas - rest does. Whether it’s a quick walk, a weekend off, or a longer vacation, taking time for yourself isn’t just self-care; it’s essential for creativity, problem-solving, and delivering fresh energy to your team. When you give yourself space, you return to the table with renewed focus and new ideas that can fuel the next big leap for your company. So, as much as you work hard, remember to step back, breathe, and recharge. Your startup, your team, and your brain, will thank you. Let’s build smart, not just fast! 🧠✨ #startuplife #innovation #worklifebalance #mentalhealth #productivity #techstartup #creativity #leadership #balance

How Can I Choose the Best Career Path Amid Startup Burnout? Answers: https://lnkd.in/gJSvin_5 #StartupStruggles #CareerChoices #EntrepreneurialJourney Hey everyone! I just wanted to take a moment to share what’s been weighing on my mind lately. I know this is a tricky situation I’m in, and I’m not really expecting anyone to hand me a clear answer, but if you’ve been in a similar boot, I’d love to hear how you approached it! So, I’ve been a CTO in the startup world for the past 8 years, and if I'm being honest, I haven’t always picked the best projects or conditions. I chased the startup dream without really crunching the numbers on feasibility. Looking back, if I had stayed in my FAANG job, I’d probably be sitting pretty financially and inching closer to my dream of financial freedom. But here’s the catch: I genuinely loved the journey, learned heaps, and enjoyed the freedom that came with it—even if it didn’t lead to greenbacks. Now I find myself at a major crossroad: about a year of runway ahead of me and a kid to care for! 🤯 Here are the three paths I’m considering: Path 1: Start a new startup. Armed with the lessons learned, I feel better equipped to ...

What's it like to put everything you have into a new business? Starting fastn has been a crazy ride. Lots of ups and downs. It's like being on a rollercoaster without knowing when the next drop will be. I remember when I first started. I was so excited, full of big dreams and even bigger plans. I thought it would be easy. Boy, was I wrong! There were countless sleepless nights, endless challenges, and moments when I wanted to give up. But I kept going, fueled by a stubborn belief that I could make it work. People often ask me why I would put myself through this stress. Why not just get a normal job? The truth is, there's nothing normal about building something from scratch. It's hard, it's risky, but it's also incredibly rewarding. The feeling of seeing your idea come to life is like nothing else. I've learned a lot along the way. I've made mistakes, I've had failures, but I've also had some incredible successes. Every challenge is a learning opportunity, and every setback is a setup for a comeback. So, to all the other founders out there hustling day and night, keep going. You're not alone. Remember, the biggest rewards often come from taking the biggest risks. Let's keep building amazing things together! #startups #ai

Starting a startup is such a tough decision, but so incredibly rewarding… I spent years going back and forth trying to make the decision to go full time on my dreams. It was one of the hardest decisions I have made. It gets harder and harder every single year as you start a family and get deeper in obligations. However, after doing it, I realized an important thing. What’s the worst that could happen? Turns out that even in the worst case scenario, it’s still not that bad. You can always go back to the work force or find another job. I’m so happy I made the jump and can’t really imagine a world of going back. If you are trying to make the decision yourself, really ask what’s the worse that can happen and even if that happens, is it really that bad? #startupjourney #foundersjourney #enterpreneurship

Open letter to anyone who’s building a #startup Dear Founders and Dreamers, I want to share the side of running a start up that doesn’t often make the headlines. First, let’s clear this up: it’s not glamorous. There are moments of pure exhilaration, yes — but they’re often sandwiched between long stretches of doubt, decisions that keep you awake at night, and a thousand small setbacks that push you to your limits. You might be building the next game-changer or pioneering a solution you know the world needs. But here’s the reality: building something meaningful takes more than a brilliant idea. It takes endless hours, tough decisions, and sacrifices that sometimes feel impossible. You’ll miss personal milestones, and your social life will shrink. Every ‘no’ will feel like a gut punch, and there will be times you wonder if it’s all worth it. Yet, as much as it’s draining, it’s also deeply fulfilling. You’ll learn resilience in ways you can’t learn anywhere else. You’ll face challenges that force you to rethink your assumptions and stretch your skills far beyond what you thought was possible. You’ll lead, not because you have to, but because your team is counting on you, and you can’t let them down. And let me say this: your journey won’t look like anyone else’s. The startup world is flooded with “success stories” that skip over the messy, unglamorous parts. But don’t get caught up in comparing your chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 10. Every struggle, every misstep, every long night is part of your story. If you’re in the thick of it, just know that you’re not alone. Many of us are right there with you, grinding, failing, learning, and growing. So, stay resilient, trust the process, and remember — it’s okay if the journey looks a little different than you expected. With all my respect, Vikram Srivastava

This is where #startups go to die ⬇️ It's the deep crevice between startup and growth that Verne Harnish calls 'The Valley of Death' in his book Scaling Up. I’ve seen it happen time and time again. Sure, the excitement of the startup phase is intoxicating: ✅ ideas flowing ✅ everyone wearing multiple hats ✅ the adrenaline rush of building something from nothing But then, the honeymoon phase ends, and reality sets in. The transition from a startup to a scaling operation is brutal. (At 350 remote employees, I know!!) It’s the deep, dark crevice that no one tells you about when you’re buzzing with that initial entrepreneurial high. And here’s the hard truth: If you can’t scale your operations, your startup is on a countdown to collapse. I’m talking about the leaky bucket syndrome—where you’re hemorrhaging resources because you’re not plugging the holes fast enough. Or worse, you’re burning through cash, desperately trying to hire top-tier talent to handle every role, only to find yourself (and your team) juggling all the support layer tasks that come with growth. This is where startups start to crumble under the weight of their own success. It’s where: 🔥 Margins get squeezed until there’s nothing left. 🔥 Employee engagement takes a nosedive. 🔥 Firefighting becomes your daily routine. 🔥 Attrition rates skyrocket. These are the symptoms of a startup on the brink of implosion. But it doesn’t have to be this way. The key to surviving this phase? → delegating strategically → creating a sustainable operational framework → building processes that work even when you’re not around → ensuring your team is engaged and genuinely invested in the mission After all, scaling is about making sure your business can handle growth without crumbling under pressure. ✅ Follow me and tap the notification bell 🔔 as I’ll be sharing my insights, hard-learned lessons, and strategies that have helped me scale my business without losing my sanity—and my team! 💥 #entrepreneurship #scaling #growth

All About Today..... Family gatherings always bring a mix of joy, delicious food, and of course, the inevitable "What do you do for a living?" question. Today, at a bustling cousin's birthday party, I caught up with a much-loved aunt. As I mentioned I work at a startup, and her eyes lit up. "Startup, huh? That's fantastic! Perfect for someone your age. You learn so much more there," she beamed. "You get to wear a lot of hats and see the inner workings of a company." Her words resonated deeply. It's true! Every day at my startup feels like a whirlwind of activity. You're constantly adapting and problem-solving, juggling different tasks and priorities. One moment you're collaborating with developers, the next you're strategizing with the founders. Sure, a traditional corporate job might offer a set structure and defined roles. But for me, a startup environment's fast-paced and collaborative nature is energizing. It allows you to take ownership, experiment with ideas, and witness the impact of your work firsthand. It's a breeding ground for innovation and personal growth, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. So, here's to the supportive family members who cheer us on, and to the exciting, ever-evolving world of startups! #startuplife #learning #growthmindset #entrepreneurship

In life, you can't crawl before you can wiggle, or walk before you're crawling, per se. Typically there is a progression of physical ability. It takes time, a person isn't born and then suddenly is running around and speaking clearly. It's the same with #startups. When you create a new idea, it's like a baby, and it takes time to move from "baby-idea" to "high-speed revenue generation" and a large customer base. #founders, you need a sales foundation for your startup; before speed, before having lofty revenue goals, etc. This is like moving from crawl to walk. Then, you speed up a little more, until your startup #sales FlyWheel is chugging along. Don't try to skip the step. Quality sales doesn't happen when you rush, desperation hurts GTM, but let's be real...the startup phase is the time in a company's history in which acting in a measured manner is very difficult. Warren Buffet often encouraged investors to slow down when others are speeding up, and speed up when others are slowing down. It's a bit like that when growing your company. Everyone is "hustling" and rushing in the startup world, going as fast as they can, but they need to conscientiously take action, increase speed little by little, and not give in to the pressure to just work so hard since every other startup founder is just acting desperately. Work hard while being as smart as possible. It's not true that working to the point of burnout is the right or only way to succeed with your startup.