Win from Within
A lot of factors will determine your startup’s success. Product innovation, consumer adoption, and competition are of course critical factors but get too much ink in the startup press. What is often only given lip service, but is in my opinion the most fundamental determinant of success, is the people you hire today. I have been very vocal in conveying the challenges that startups in Asia face, particularly in building teams beyond the founding members. People, not your product, will be your greatest long-term asset. As you build your team my plea is that you build your startup for what you want it to be and not for what it is today . When you are a small team of founding members you are full of enthusiasm for your product and the opportunity ahead of you (as you should be). Hopefully your idea will gain traction and you will be in a position to raise money or reinvest positive cash flow to drive growth. One of your first investments will likely be in hiring your first non-found...