“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” – Steve Jobs, Stanford Commencement Speech, May 2005
Over past few days I managed to catchup with some of the friends associated with startups and fellow startup co founders whom I had met at a lot of startup events. Some well established, excited, energetic and making money, some are looking for a new idea, some looking for a startup to join as a co-founder etc.,
A couple of years ago, I was also wandering looking for the next big idea. As much as the passion to build a company to serve people, create value, or for a noble cause something that I deeply relate to I dont think one can find an idea by looking for it or searching in google or sticking to something someone else is doing.
From my perspective, Starting a startup is equal to falling in love. Love happens to you, you don't make it happen over night, startup happens to you when you catch the right guiding light thats in front of you. And as being in love is a risky thing to do, being associated with a startup is no less risky as well. And you can add as many as comparisons and joke around, but the truth is to look no where but in the mind within.
I strongly believe there are only two ways to look for a great startup idea
1. Experience - You have worked in that industry for years, you have the domain knowledge, expertise and most importantly you understand all the inefficiencies in the market and want to solve a particular problem which is common to a lot of people. Experience will also get you to build that Minimum viable product you would like to bag your first customer in
2. Passion - You may not know the industry well, you have very less knowledge about it. But you're so elated about that idea that you are up awake at night thinking about it over and over again without getting even an ounce of sleep. Like Bubba in the movie Forrest Gump who kept on talking about Shrimps all the time of day and night. That sort of a burning fire in your belly will power you to learn that understanding of the market, make value out of your idea and because you are passionate about it, you WILL get there!
If you are looking for a co-founder, you have to look atleast for the above two qualities. IIT, IIM, Harvard etc., qualifications exist in your co-founder but if he neither has the experience nor passion then no bookish knowledge can get your startup to the next level. This is a very subtle truth.
Be united with those co-founders who bring value to either experience or passion.And as the Entrepreneur mantra goes - "Never Give Up no matter What!
Good luck
regards
Maddy
Over past few days I managed to catchup with some of the friends associated with startups and fellow startup co founders whom I had met at a lot of startup events. Some well established, excited, energetic and making money, some are looking for a new idea, some looking for a startup to join as a co-founder etc.,
A couple of years ago, I was also wandering looking for the next big idea. As much as the passion to build a company to serve people, create value, or for a noble cause something that I deeply relate to I dont think one can find an idea by looking for it or searching in google or sticking to something someone else is doing.
From my perspective, Starting a startup is equal to falling in love. Love happens to you, you don't make it happen over night, startup happens to you when you catch the right guiding light thats in front of you. And as being in love is a risky thing to do, being associated with a startup is no less risky as well. And you can add as many as comparisons and joke around, but the truth is to look no where but in the mind within.
I strongly believe there are only two ways to look for a great startup idea
1. Experience - You have worked in that industry for years, you have the domain knowledge, expertise and most importantly you understand all the inefficiencies in the market and want to solve a particular problem which is common to a lot of people. Experience will also get you to build that Minimum viable product you would like to bag your first customer in
2. Passion - You may not know the industry well, you have very less knowledge about it. But you're so elated about that idea that you are up awake at night thinking about it over and over again without getting even an ounce of sleep. Like Bubba in the movie Forrest Gump who kept on talking about Shrimps all the time of day and night. That sort of a burning fire in your belly will power you to learn that understanding of the market, make value out of your idea and because you are passionate about it, you WILL get there!
If you are looking for a co-founder, you have to look atleast for the above two qualities. IIT, IIM, Harvard etc., qualifications exist in your co-founder but if he neither has the experience nor passion then no bookish knowledge can get your startup to the next level. This is a very subtle truth.
Be united with those co-founders who bring value to either experience or passion.And as the Entrepreneur mantra goes - "Never Give Up no matter What!
Good luck
regards
Maddy
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Thank you.