Starting something is not the hardest part, making it work is actually tougher.

When I started, like years ago with my first startup, I strongly believed having a good product is the most important thing to be successful but I realized while it is still important, not really the deciding factor. What matters is relationship building, community-building, and being smart with GTM.

Ideas are easy; implementation is hard; the value of an idea lies in its use.

The never ending dilemma between building what people want vs. Building what people need.

How truly challenging the "getting it started" phase would be.

When done with the right purpose, results come in quicker than expected

Learnt that the journey is quite long. And often collaboration helps you play this game even longer than having to compete with other startups.

Really interesting to read so may people's takes. For me, I'd say how founding something can come out of nowhere, especially in regard to a side project!

how much marketing should be involved

It's a marathon.

How hard it is to truly move fast and break things

A hard lesson we had to learn was letting go of the "build it and they will come" mentality. Good products are most often made by rapid user feedback.

Ideas are worth nothing, execution is everything (and prioritisation)

1. The difficulty of finding cofounders who don't already have a business 2. The battle between building for now and building for the future 3. The amount of time that's wasted discussing things that don't matter 4. Just how many people don't get why anyone would do it, lol 5. The lack of VC reviews from vetted founders 6. The number of successful startups with incredibly basic products and no competitive barriers

Nothing these days! Been at this since 2004. Latest https://skilledup.life - free talent for tech startups. My 14 attempts https://manojranaweera.me/who-is...

How impactful an idea could be until it is executed! Something that you identify as a pain point for millions out there and feel should be solved, and guess what, you become the one to solve it. It is pure joy!

The amazing communities offering help for active-seekers is completely not what I expected.

How much I need to learn and the sheer determination it takes to continue at it even when you see competitors entering the market.

doing two at once, successfully