Embarking on the entrepreneurial journey is fraught with lessons learned only through experience, but what if founders could share their wisdom with their past selves? We’ve gathered insights from twelve seasoned professionals, including CEOs and founders, providing advice they wish they knew at the start. From the importance of testing the market with preorders to trusting the process and embracing challenges, these are the invaluable lessons they would impart.
Test Market With Preorders
If I could go back, I’d tell myself to test the market with preorders before building anything significant. Early on, I had this big idea for a software product and spent months developing it without knowing if people would actually buy it. When I finally launched, I realized there was much less demand than I expected. Had I focused on preorders, I could’ve validated the concept without wasting time on unnecessary features.
One actionable tip: create a landing page, describe the core value of your product, and ask potential customers to pay upfront for early access. If people are willing to put down money, you’ve got real validation. Otherwise, tweak your idea or pivot before sinking too much effort. Preorders give you quick feedback and save you from betting on assumptions.
Jayen Ashar, CTO, Scaleup Consulting
Invest in Hiring Sooner
Spend more and hire faster.
We bootstrapped our business, but it was very difficult at the beginning. We had some capital to work with, but we were overly cautious and reduced the amount we spent on everything, including hiring. The result was that it took us much longer than we anticipated to achieve our early goals.
In fact, this disrupted our business model as we kept turning to delivering consultancy in order to continue funding product development. This, in turn, took us out of the business at critical points, again making things take longer.
It wasn’t until we raised some outside funding that we were able to focus entirely on the core business.
Craig Willis, CEO, Skore
Embrace Imperfect Action
After years of building and growing a business, one piece of advice stands out above all others: the power of imperfect action.
For three years, I fought with the elusive concept of clarity. I’ve spent valuable time thinking, pored over research, and found myself stuck in a loop of information, courses, and more information. After all this, I still was feeling like I wasn’t ready.
I believed that with enough knowledge, I’d unlock the perfect strategy and the clarity I needed would suddenly appear. In reality, I was trapped in a cycle of analysis paralysis.
Success doesn’t wait for perfection.
It wasn’t until I took the leap and began working with real clients that true clarity emerged. The most valuable lesson I learned was that clarity doesn’t come from thinking—it comes from doing.
To those just starting their entrepreneurial journey, I offer this advice:
- Embrace Imperfection – Be open to the possibilities and celebrate even if your first attempts aren’t flawless.
- Take Action – Start working with clients, even if you don’t feel fully prepared.
- Learn By Doing – Real-world experience will teach you more than any course or book ever could.
By shifting my focus from endless planning to active engagement, I gained invaluable insights. I quickly developed a deeper understanding of my target audience, their desires, and their challenges. To my surprise, I even uncovered new ways to use my signature system.
In the end, I redirected my company’s focus based on the incredible results my clients experienced. This is where you get real clarity leading to certainty in record time.
Remember, the path to success isn’t always linear or perfectly planned. Sometimes, the best and most efficient way forward is to simply take action. Your journey can begin with an imperfect step. So, take it.
Deb Monfette, Creator of Reboot Your Brilliance, iMatter Marketing
Build a Competent, Malleable Team
Were it within my power to turn back the clock and transition to the date when I first had a business of any kind, I would certainly advise my past self to “pay attention to the creation of a competent and malleable team from the outset.”
In the beginning, there is a great urge to either do everything by yourself or make an allowance for an immediate new fill for the role that has become available in the organization for a short period. Still, understanding how to hire the right people who fit into the company at all levels, especially at its philosophy and vision levels, is very important.
An efficient team is a great asset in a business, so it’s effective in business development, as a variety of viewpoints is involved, work is shared, and problems are more easily resolved. The process becomes riskier, yet far more manageable as it is possible to have a team that is more adaptive to change. Building a strong team can help facilitate quick growth and make the process easier and even more enjoyable.
In hindsight, implementing that approach would have allowed me to delegate efficiently and prevent burnout, and grow the business much faster by utilizing the full capabilities of a complete team.
Khurram Mir, Founder, Kualitee
Focus on User Feedback
If I could go back to when I first started my company, I would tell myself to focus more on user feedback before scaling the product. In the early days, I was so driven by the vision I had in mind that I sometimes overlooked the importance of deeply understanding our users’ evolving needs. We spent considerable resources building features that I thought were crucial, only to later realize that some of them weren’t aligned with what our users truly valued. Had I invested more time in listening to our early adopters and iterating based on their feedback, we could have avoided some costly pivots and accelerated our growth in a more focused direction.
Dinesh Agarwal, Founder, CEO, RecurPost
Cultivate Strong Relationships Early
If I could go back to when I first started my firm, the one piece of advice I’d give my past self is to focus more on building strong, lasting relationships from the very beginning—both with clients and within the legal community. While legal expertise and business strategies are crucial, the foundation of long-term success lies in the trust and connections you cultivate.
Early on, I was heavily focused on refining our services and ensuring that we were providing top-notch legal representation, which was important. However, I now realize that investing more time in networking, nurturing client relationships, and engaging with peers in the legal field could have accelerated our growth and deepened our impact.
Building those relationships not only helps in gaining referrals and repeat business but also creates a network of support and collaboration that can be invaluable during challenging times. It’s about being present in the community, understanding the needs of the people you serve, and being seen as a reliable, approachable resource.
In retrospect, I would have dedicated more energy to this aspect of the business early on, understanding that every relationship is an opportunity to build the firm’s reputation and expand its reach. This human element, combined with legal expertise, is what truly drives sustainable success in this industry.
Rock Rocheleau, Founder & Attorney, Right Lawyers
Trust Your Gut Reaction
Listen to your gut. As a new entrepreneur, when I found myself in especially sticky situations, I asked friends and family for their opinions. I only ever asked a close few, knowing that with too many opinions, I could easily become confused.
If I could go back, I would still ask for help, but I would pay closer attention to my gut reaction.
Did I just receive advice that makes me feel uneasy? Do I feel strongly against what they’re telling me? Chances are, that’s a sign that I need to act differently. At the end of the day, my friends and family aren’t running my business; I am.
You can’t just listen to what others say; you have to pay attention to how you react. That’s where you can find a lot of answers!
Lauren Kutschke, SEO Copywriter, Salted Pages
Invest in Scalable Solutions
If I could go back to the start of my business, I’d advise myself to invest more in scalable solutions. In the early days, I often focused on getting things done quickly.
Instead of setting up systems that could grow, I used the easiest, cheapest platforms.
As the agency expanded, I faced challenges scaling my operations efficiently as my agency grew. I had to frequently adapt my processes to use new tools and software.
Investing in scalable platforms from the beginning would have saved a lot of time and effort. Tools such as a robust project management system are incredibly useful now and could have been instrumental at the start.
Dan Brown, Founder and CEO, Textun
Invest in Technology Early
If I could revisit my early days at my company, I’d tell myself to invest in technology sooner. Back then, I might have seen tech investments as an extra cost rather than a crucial asset. But the right tools can streamline processes, provide better data insights, and ultimately save time and money. Early adoption of technology would have allowed us to scale more efficiently and stay ahead of the curve. It’s not just about having the latest gadgets; it’s about using technology strategically to enhance every aspect of the business.
Austin Rulfs, Founder, SME Business Investor, Property & Finance Specialist, Zanda Wealth
Embrace a Growth Mindset
If I were to go back and restart my business, I would embrace a growth mindset from the start. For years, I worked as a solopreneur, managing every detail on my own. When I launched my company, I carried that mindset with me, trying to juggle everything—copywriting, web design, marketing, ads, influencers, social media—alone. It was overwhelming and exhausting.
I’ve learned that building a business that can truly thrive means letting go of the need to control every aspect and trusting others to contribute their talents. Scaling to new heights requires not just hard work but also a willingness to grow and let go.
Zakiyyah Walker, Founder | CEO, Chalice Premium
Persist Through Early Challenges
If I could go back to when we first started, I’d tell myself to focus relentlessly on persistence. In the beginning, it often felt like we were treading water. Setting up commercial arrangements with replacement-vehicle providers and body-shop networks was no small feat. There were times when progress seemed slow and the challenges felt insurmountable. But every small step built momentum.
Pulling together a strong team with expertise in the sector and methodically marketing our services online was crucial. Sticking to our vision and pushing through these early hurdles set the foundation for future success.
Financing the growth of our company wasn’t a walk in the park either. We invested $15,000 from our personal savings and relied heavily on our network of reliable partners. Quick payments from these partners provided the needed cash flow to reinvest in systems, staff, and marketing. This cycle of persistent reinvestment drove our scalability. Had I not persisted through those tough early stages, we might not have maintained the financial stability required to grow rapidly.
Persistence was the keystone that kept everything together. When you’re starting out, it’s easy to get discouraged by setbacks. But the key is to keep going. Believe in your mission, stay committed to your goals, and push through the hard times. Persistence isn’t just a trait—it’s a strategy. It involves continuously learning, adapting, and applying those lessons in real-time. Whether it’s securing contracts, managing finances, or leading a team, persistent effort is essential to transforming a fledgling idea into a successful and robust business.
Andrew Franks, Co-Founder, Claimsline
Trust the Process and Embrace Challenges
If I could go back to when I first started my business, I’d tell my past self to trust the process and embrace every challenge as an opportunity. In the beginning, I often second-guessed my decisions, worried about every detail, and sometimes felt overwhelmed by the pressure to succeed. But looking back, I see that every obstacle was a lesson in disguise and every setback was a stepping-stone toward growth.
I would also remind myself of the importance of resilience. Building a luxury brand takes time, and it’s essential to stay true to your vision even when things get tough. Success doesn’t come overnight, but with perseverance, passion, and a commitment to quality, the results will follow.
Julia North, Founder, Wigonia
And there you have it—pearls of wisdom from founders who’ve lived through the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship. Whether it’s testing the waters with preorders, embracing imperfection, or trusting your gut, these lessons could be the difference between a fast pivot and a slow burn. So, if you’re just starting out, take notes—better yet, take action. Because as these founders have shown, the key to success often lies in the lessons learned along the way… and in a well-timed leap of faith.
Enjoy This Blog Post?