50 Founders Share Their Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

”Make a choice, then give it all you've got.”

Check out our full interview with skincare startup Parallel Health.

“Go for it, but take calculated risks. The hardest part is diving in fully.”

See the full interview with social media startup Privee.

“Most importantly, take on a project that you really believe in [that] is not simply about making money, but is about helping others and making the world a better place.”

Read our whole interview with travel startup Baboo.

“Find your true interest and passion so that you can suffer the failure.”

See the complete interview with cookware startup Hast.

“Set clear goals and measure your progress towards them. Using a framework such as OKRs works well, but something as simple as a to-do list on a piece of paper works too.”

Check out our full interview with interior design startup Pabio.

"Believe in yourself; hire the best people to join your journey. Do not worry if you fail. You learn from mistakes. Look for a problem and come with a great compelling solution."

See the full interview with pet tech startup DogLog.

“Focus on the product, but do not forget the marketing. These things should go in parallel, or else you either will end up with a great product nobody heard of or spend resources to attract users that won't stay due to the poor quality.”

Read our whole interview with AI startup Linguix.

If you are passionate about something and you want to start a business around it, just do it, don't be afraid.

See our complete interview with mobility startup SMOVE.CITY.

“Try to validate the market as early as possible to not lose time on an idea that's not worth pursuing.”

Check out the full interview with sustainable goods startup Bottle+.

“Start small, but think big. Take advice but be cautious about who it's from (take it from people with a vested interest in your success or people who have already been where we are trying to go). Take intelligent risks: most people are inclined to pursue convention, so the bigger risk you take, the bigger your competitive advantage will be. But take these risks intelligently and strategically (make small bets that will provide outsized returns if they work out) and enjoy the journey.”

See the complete interview with sustainable startup AquiPor.

“Go as fast as possible to the market, get signals, talk to your users, and learn from there. You will shape your product based on what you learn rather than your initial thoughts, and you'll be better for it.”

Check out our full interview with mental healthcare startup Circles.

“It is not enough just to have an idea, but the strength and perseverance to implement it.”

Read our whole interview with information systems startup Sensio.

“Launch as soon as you can (minimum viable product) and look for validation. For entrepreneurs, feedback is gold.”

Read the full interview with agtech startup Biome Makers.

“You should expect to fail, and the experience is still what you want to do with your life, even if you fail.”

See the complete interview with pet tech startup PupPod.

“Don't give up unless you really need to give up, then pivot instead. Keep the fire alive!”

Check out our full interview with sustainable startup Hempitecture.

“Starting a company is not for the faint of heart. You will be told "no" at least 20 times a day. However, you can't let this get to you and have to remain focused on your goal.”

See our full interview with cybersecurity startup AaDya Security.

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is [that] nothing goes to plan — at least at first. By their very nature, startups are risky. There is an infinite number of uncertainties that lie ahead when you launch a business. It still helps to have a plan, but it will almost certainly change, and it will probably change quite drastically. Being adaptable and responding to new information is key to the success of any startup.”

Check out our complete interview with dating app startup So Syncd.

“My advice, if you have a passion or dream, do something with it. Just start and express your ambition! You will then automatically meet the right people who can help you [get] further.”

Read our whole interview with sustainable startup Grow a Wish.

“I have found that most people already have an idea for a product or invention in their head, but 90% will not pursue it for various reasons. I encourage everyone with an idea to research its potential. You may be pleasantly surprised at what you find, and if all roads point to success, do all in your power to make it happen.”

Read our full interview with pet care and ecommerce startup Rinseroo.

“Do your homework. Trust your gut feel and intuition. If something does not sound right, do not justify how that is right. Trust yourself and believe in yourself.”

Check out our full interview with cookware startup Chef Avenue.

“The biggest lesson I have learned is to *never* undervalue what an individual is capable of. We've never done anything involved in launching a startup before, but we've learned on the fly and continue to make the right connections. We've even handled most of the software and hardware development in-house as a very small team and already have a third-iteration batch of prototypes that work exceptionally well and feel production-ready. All because we learned that taking repeated small steps over time leads to compound returns on that investment.”

See the complete interview with music tech startup Chaos Audio.

“Spend an uncomfortable amount of time defining the problem, and resist the urge to build in the early days.”

Check out the full interview with enterprise tech startup Tango.

“Just do it! Life is too short not to try.”

Read our whole interview with AI startup Uizard.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. Be ambitious and shoot for the stars, but make sure you take time to rest and recuperate. If you go full speed ahead into your idea with no breaks, burnout is inevitable. The key is to target long-term sustainable growth, and that is done with a healthy work-life balance. Your ability to think creatively and with an eye for innovation will be far stronger if you are well-rested and live a healthy lifestyle.”

“If you're not willing to work twice as hard as the people in your environment who work in normal day jobs, don't get started. Make sure you are 100% passionate about the problem you are trying to solve because you will spend all your time on it. And that passion is a key resource when the going gets tough (as it will) or when you have to do boring stuff that simply needs to be done (like accounting).”

See the complete interview with greentech startup Handprint.tech.

“Be really selective and careful with who you pick to work with. I have made mistakes in the past in choosing to work with people who were flaky or nontrustworthy, and it has caused me a lot of pain. Nowadays ... we are a lot more selective and look for people with good, strong character and empathy and resilience to work alongside. My co-founder is a wonderful example — she has actually climbed to the summit of Mt. Everest! That sort of feat takes a massive amount of resilience, strength of character, and courage. I know that when the going gets tough, she will have my back and won’t turn tail and run. That makes a huge difference.”

Read our whole interview with software startup HR Partner.

“Never give up. If you believe your idea is strong, don't let yourself be discouraged, but be open to outside feedback and advice.”

Read the full interview with sustainable design startup Krill Design.

“If you run into problems, Solve the problem! (Or find someone that can.)”

Read the full interview with clean energy startup GoSun.

“A master is a beginner who has never given up. Leave your ego at the door and always be willing to learn. Sure, you might bring a lot to the table, but everyone has their own biases, traumas, and limiting beliefs. Be okay with challenging those beliefs and biases. This is how you grow as a leader and an entrepreneur. Remember, the growth of the business will never exceed the growth of its founder.”

See the complete interview with fashion startup ZILIO.

“My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to develop an idea that you truly believe in — that you would give up everything that you have to see it come true and go make it happen. It only happens if you take the first step, so take the first step. Don't leave yourself saying, ‘I wish I would have.’ [I’ve gotten] in the habit of saying ‘I'm glad I did.’”

Read our whole interview with automotive startup Autimely.

“Follow your dreams, and don't be afraid to fail. Use this experience to start again and again. Trust the numbers and don't even try to avoid them.”

Read the full interview with martech startup Viewst.

“Don't be scared to get started. Test and iterate. Learn rationally.”

Read the complete interview with wellness startup Cuure.

“Entrepreneurship requires three things: commitment, perseverance, and endurance. Make sure you have enough of these things before starting your endeavour because it's a marathon, not a sprint.”

Check out the full interview with health and fitness startup Hyperhuman.

“Don't be afraid to try. Share responsibility and surround yourself with people that compliment your vision and goals.”

Check out our whole interview with software startup Commissionly.

“Accept the fact that you’ll learn a lot of lessons the hard way. You can read all the advice in the world, but you’ll inevitably make mistakes that others have made before, even if you were warned about them. A lot of the startup advice I was given only made sense in retrospect after I made a lot of the core mistakes. Don’t be let down by that — it’s part of the journey.”

See the complete interview with employee engagement startup Thankbox.

“If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't have quit my job until I had more traction. Living off your savings is stressful; you see a lot of money leaving your account, but none coming in. Be patient; you can work on your startup and full-time job until your startup can pay you full-time.”

Read the full interview with social media startup Clava.

“I think entrepreneurs often feel the pressure to get everything done by themselves. I know I certainly did. But this isn’t always possible. If I could start my business again, I would have found a graphic designer first—someone who has more expertise and could help me in an area I was less familiar with. Starting small is good, as is asking questions and getting in touch with other individuals who have also started businesses to get prepared before launch. But it’s important to remember that relying on other professionals or just family and friends is helpful too.”

Read our whole interview with SaaS startup Allbetter.

“My advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to first embark on self-discovery to determine a thesis through self-interrogation and analysis that will solve a chronic everyday problem that hopefully will have a positive social impact.”

Check out our full interview with SaaS startup Bodha.ai.

“Don't be afraid to talk about your idea with everyone. Get feedback and listen to their advice — everyone has their two cents. Try to understand the root of the comments — many people find it awkward about providing negative feedback and aren't always forthcoming with how they really feel.

That said, at the end of the day, it's your decision. You will get advice that tells you to go left one day, and other [advice] that says to go right five minutes later. You need to filter the noise. Everyone’s journey is different. Take in the data, process it, make a decision, don’t look back.”

See the full interview with AI startup Bucephalus.

“In my opinion, experience is the best teacher. You absorb information faster, and the lessons mean more when you learn them for yourself. Go out and meet with store owners. Talk to your customers. Get roasted. Revise your formula. Tweak your packaging and taglines. Stay hungry, stay practical, and keep moving forward.”

See the complete interview with beverage startup Leilo.

“Never forget to take care of yourself. Allowing your business to take over your life is not a good idea. Do not let it happen. Entrepreneurship is a way of life, so don't work only for the sake of working. It's easy to forget about leaving when you operate your own company, but always remember to keep work and leisure distinct.”

Read our whole interview with fintech startup AAZZUR.

“Take the first step. You may not always know where you're going or how you'll get there. But if you just put one foot in front of the other, eventually you will look up and realize you're exactly where you're supposed to be.”

See the full interview with social media startup Pepper.

“Remember three things: no one but you knows the product better than you, there is a sunrise behind every sunset, everything around was created by people the same as you.”

Check out our whole interview with Beyond GG.

“Having a great idea is the tip of the iceberg, what matters the most is execution. This is where you create the difference.”

Read the full interview with fintech startup Shares.

“Even if you're starting small, ‘plan as you intend to go on’ and where possible, make decisions that will benefit your longer term vision in the long run.”

Check out our full interview with corporate gift startup Unwrapit.

“Bring in industry experts either on your team or as advisors. Don't bring on advisors unless they add real value, which is time or money. Do not bring advisors for [your] resume because investors don't care.”

Read the full interview with automotive startup GO.

“Stop aspiring and just do it. You will learn on the job far more than you will in preparation for it.”

See the complete interview with legal tech startup Courtroom5.

“The journey ahead is brutal. If you don't pursue something you're truly passionate about, you'll probably be tempted to give up sooner than later. Reflect on the ‘why,’ so you connect the dots of what your business is about with what you are about. After all, who the founder is has everything to do with where your business will be. Only if you're true to yourself, [will] your vision for your business be clear, and people will follow you anywhere.”

Check out our full interview with travel startup Citycatt.

“Think hard about how you want to spend your time. If entrepreneurship is the right choice for you, you need to make sure you're working on something you really care about. It's hard enough to build a business, and if you don't care deeply about what you're doing, you won't be able to maintain the persistence.”

Read the full interview with sustainable startup Bluebird Climate.

“Find a mentor system; there are plenty out there. They will help you through the startup process. In South Florida, I had two great mentor teams that helped me in different ways — The VMT and FAU Tech Runway.”

See our complete interview with SaaS startup Premier Virtual.

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