I launched 40+ apps within a year, and thought it would be worthwhile sharing some insights on my personal journey. Hopefully, this is useful to the newbies out there.

1. I ran a bootstrapped startup for 1 year
and have some advice for newbies
I hope you
find them
useful

2. So, you wanna start a startup?
A feel good
project
Lifestyle
Social
prestige
Do
something
different
Yes, make
money!
Find the right
PURPOSE

3. Ideas are
a dime a
dozen
Choose One
Can I get
100 users by
myself?
Get feedback
No Yes
Talk to people and share the ideas

4. What is the size of
the market?
Which mega
trend am I
betting on?
Am I ok
with the
risks?
Hell yeah,
lets go
Quantify your thoughts

5. What are you hunting?

6. Are you hunting in the right
place?
Pond
Ocean

7. Believable Idea
Confirm existence
of market
Development
roadmap
Budgeting
Revenue plan
Feedback loop
Have a loaded gun before
starting your adventure

8. Remember your silver bullet to
kill or solve a market problem
Lead bullets
won’t work

9. You have 3 types of fuel, which
require a delicate mix to succeed

10. If you are a
challenger with a
clone me idea, be
nimble, fast and
strike at weak points
If you are an
incumbent, watch
your competitors
closely to avoid
surprises
Positioning with a sense of fear
If you think you have
a revolutionary idea,
discount it 75%.
Someone has likely
tried it and failed
PARANOIA

11. MARKET with
PAYING USERS
Going against and going with market
are different startup games

12. It’s not indifferent from trading the
financial markets- a balancing act
Bet Size
Timing
Volatility
Direction
Can I beat the
market?

13. You are
the
motivator
Lead a complementary team with you
being the beating heart

14. If you have a ‘hole’ in team, learn 15% of
requirements and try outsourcing
You can pick up
15% within 1
week
Coding
Design
Business
Marketing

15. Sort out founder problems as early as
possible. Fire or walk away if you have
to.

16. Learn to tell 4 different types of stories
so that you can do content marketing

17. Don’t drink your own Kool-Aid
You did not just
invent sliced bread

18. But you have to know the lingo to
preach the religion
MobileLocal
Social
For Illustrative
purposes only

19. Sort out MONETISATION ASAP
GRANTS, FAVOURS, SUBSIDIES

20. Know your LTV to gauge how much you
can invest in marketing
LTV

21. Stick together with fellow underdogs to
take on incumbent
FIGHT!

22. A mosquito with competitors;
A bee when dealing with customers
Asymmetric
warfare
Work hard &
cross-polinate

23. You can fake it till you make it; I prefer
being 100% truthful, especially in sales

24. Partner with the right framework
Personality Product Humility
Reputation Visibility
Shared
aspirations

25. Be generous with acquaintances and
friends
Make time
to share advice
Help out with
publicity
Provide
introductions

26. Stay away from these people
Those who can’t
keep simple
promises
Those who think
they are too
important
Those who have
no constructive
input to add
Avoid wannabes

27. Don’t just take from the cookie jar-
Give back, even if you don’t have much
Give back

28. Poor forward visibility is NORMAL

29. A corrective loop is critical
Throw everything
including the
kitchen sink at it
Know when to FAIL
Focus on
negative
feedback

30. Screw the motivational marketing
shit; Work smart and have grit

31. STARTUPS will teach you to see
things differently
Technical skills
Sales and
marketing Product
development
Getting shit
done
Recruitment
Try it once at least

32. “Behold the burning entrepreneur. Everything
you’ve heard about leaders of successful
startups is true. They are a different kind
of people.
They aren’t born to greatness. Their qualities
are learned and practiced. That means you can
be a burning entrepreneur too.”- Brad Feld-
Lets inspire ourselves to greater
heights TOGETHER