Top 8 Insights From One of the Founders of Paperform

Diony McPherson, co-founder of Paperform.

We were fortunate to interview Diony McPherson, co-founder of Paperform alongside her husband Dean McPherson. Paperform is a no-code form building software created to make technology accessible to all, even those of us who are non-technical. We’ve gathered some of the most impactful insights from our interview for aspiring entrepreneurs to learn and get motivated.

1. Solve an Existing Problem

“Solve a real problem. Look at what the people around you are frustrated by and ask whether you can solve their issue in a scalable way. Don’t imagine a problem that isn’t there.”

2. Don’t Waste Time Copying Others — Be Unique

“Don’t focus too much time on competitors. Focus on what you’re doing that is different in contrast to what is out there, but beyond that, just stay in your lane. That’s how you’ll stay one step ahead and continue to innovate. You can’t create something truly disruptive if you’re copying others.”

3. Don’t Wait to Get Your Product on the Market

“The best thing we ever did was get the Product into peoples’ hands, especially paying customers. It helped us refine the Product quickly and also tested our ops early on, which meant we developed good practices in finance and legal from day one.”

4. Get Ready to Work

“Founding your own company gives you immense freedom, but that also comes with long hours and a lot of hard work.”

5. Focus on Business Sustainability

“The main validation for the business for us has been sustainability. We haven’t taken funding, and the business has been able to financially sustain growth. There’s no clearer validation that you are on the right track with your startup than that.”

6. Invest in the Future of Your Company

“Be willing to pay a little more upfront to save you long term.”

7. Focus on Yourself, Your Product, and Your Customers

“[F]ocus on what you are good at, where your talents lie, and what you believe is lacking in the market. Your main considerations should be yourself, your product, and your customers.”

8. Utilize Advisors and Do What You Can Independently

“I think the best way to start [a business] is to have an initial meeting with a solid legal and financial advisor and then action as much as you can by yourself. They’ll tell you what you need to do, and then you can save costs by doing it with the right off-the-shelf docs for you.”

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