Huh?

Let me explain

Two weeks ago, I sat down to reflect on why I was doing this. What I wanted to get out of it. What I wanted to learn.

As I wrote about this and thought more and more, I realised that what I was getting out of it was nowhere close to what I could get out of it somewhere else, in an existing team.

What I want the most is to create value for others. I want to tackle complex problems in creative ways. I want to have fun and inspire others. I want to learn and grow. All of these things, I’m way more capable of doing in a team.

But why was this? Why did I just spend these months? Could I have seen this coming?

Maybe. but here’s my take on what I learned, and what I suggest every (would-be) founder to really take into account when they’re starting off.

My biggest lesson

Paul Graham, one of the most successful entrepreneurs around, claims that there are three essential things to create a good startup.

(Watch his lecture at Y Combinator. It’s spot on and hilarious)

1. Good people

2. Make something customers actually want

3. Spend as little money as possible

You’ve got it, Paul

That first one, good people. I thought it could come second. I would find an idea, and then find the people to help me build it. Because convincing people would be easy once you show them proof, right?

If I’d have to tell you one thing I learnt, it’s this:

Making something customers actually want will fix itself if you have good people. Spending as little money as possible will fix itself if you have good people.

Good people.

My biggest learning is this: you need good people from the start. This should be the beginning. Not the problem, not the solution, good people.

If you think you can start a startup by yourself, don’t. You might be able to, but you won’t achieve 1/10 of the results and the fun if you do it on your own.

The solution

So my advice would be this: if you’re thinking of starting a startup, find AT LEAST one good friend to join you, ideally two good friends. Make sure the combination of you covers the holy triangle of startup: hipster, hacker, hustler (aka designer, engineer, marketeer).

And then, you can move on to point two.

So don’t be like this:

Thanks to Andrew Neel

But be like this:

Thanks to Startup Stock Photos

(Funny side note, if you look for ‘entrepreneur’ on stock photo sites, you primarily find people on their own. Don’t be on your own, work with others!)

Why?

Because if you have good people from the start, making something your customers actually want becomes 100X easier. Starting a startup is a rollercoaster: turn-downs, long hours, lack of perspective. Endless iterations, nothing to fall back upon, being outside of your comfort zone.

But if you’re with good people, then you can pull each other through. The turn-downs are easier to turn around- it’s easier to get a yes if you’re not alone.

The long hours become more fun, because as the saying goes: “the more the merrier” (which is true up to a certain extent, by the way, but this is not the post for that).

The lack of perspective changes, because now you’re not working on your own, you are working with your friends. Working on something you believe in. With people you can learn a lot from. And that by itself is quite a perspective.

Oh right, who am I to say this? Well, if you don’t believe me, check out what Jens Lapinski, Managing Director of Techstars, one of the most successful accelerators worldwide, has to say about this:

Thanks to Jens Lapinski

A team is never one person.