Entrepreneurship is hip yet it isn't for everyone. It's a lot of work. It usually means little respect and often little money. Nevertheless, I cannot imagine doing anything else. Here are some of my experiences and lessons learned being an entrepreneur.
Intermediate Accounting, Volume 2, 13th Canadian Edition by Donald E. Kieso t...
Don't become an entrepreneur unless you are insane
1. Don‘t become an
entrepreneur
Unless you are insane
Iserlohn, December 2012
2. Who wants to start a
startup?
Or has just started?
3. manuel koelman | dutch entrepreneur | living in
cologne | currently working on getcontext.de
and MailFred.de | practical philosopher |
involved with piratesummit.com | interested in
agile, lean and productivity | business angel |
ecommerce guy | startup mentor | caotina lover
| traveler | cheese addicted | proud father
6. Are you a pirate?
That thrill of your first hire, when you’ve convinced some
other crazy soul to join you in your almost certainly
doomed project. The high from raising venture capital and
starting to see your name mentioned in the press. The
excitement of launch and…gulp…customers! and the
feeling of truly learning something useful, you’re just not
sure what it is, when the company almost inevitably
crashes and burns.
- Mike Arrington, Techcrunch
28. Tech guy
Product guy
Sales guy
Which one are you?
In a tech startup it is a good idea to have all three of these roles (not
necessarily three different people) in the founding team.
And no, you don’t need a strategy guy nor a CFO.
31. Some – not necessarily smart – examples of commitment:
Invest your own money.
If you are stupid: Invest ALL your money.
Be scrappy with everything.
Pay your employee’s salary first.
Pay yourself what’s left: Usually nothing.
Consequently: Eat (very) cheap.
Have the team work in your apartment.
Better yet: Sleep in your office.
Don’t go on vacation for years.
Enjoy the 7-day work week.
Go networking if you are not working.
32. Your social life will be over.
Be ready to disappoint friends and family.
39. Find me around the net Websites
@manuelkoelman www.getcontext.de
www.leanentrepreneur.com
fb.com/koelman
www.23moments.com
de.linkedin.com/in/koelman