What’s one mistake you made early in your startup journey that others can learn from?

Question

Let’s help each other avoid common pitfalls!

AnnaHo · Accepted Answer

One early mistake we made was trying to build too many features at once instead of focusing on the core problem we aimed to solve. It spread our resources thin and delayed our launch. Focusing on a minimum viable product (MVP) early on would have been much more efficient.

Tara Fitzgerald · Answer

Start by simplicity, don't go into complex things

AnnaHo · Answer

@bilalasif Absolutely agree! Building a community early creates a loyal base that can provide valuable feedback, spread the word, and even become your first customers. It also gives you insights into your product’s fit with the market.

Bilal Asif · Answer

Build your community as soon as you can. It can be surprising how a strong community can help you in so many ways.

Peter Henry · Answer

I thought my ideas was good but I did not realise how nich the market actually was. It led to waste of money and time

Timothy Bramlett · Answer

The biggest two mistakes I've encountered in my journey that have really held things back are not talking to customers enough and building too much in general.

Jet · Answer

100% not marketing, trying to correct this now haha.

Bilal Asif · Answer

@annaho2000 Yes exactlyy.

Paul McCoy · Answer

I though there were no compitition but I was wrong. We should always ready for the compititions

Mara Cortes · Answer

I help business with their people strategy and a mistake I see so often is around hiring!

- Hire someone they love/trust, with no clear understanding of the role they will play in the business long term. 
- Hire an expert and an expert's salary, without ensuring that 1. there's a long term need, 2. the business can sustain that positions monetary inflation throughout the years

OR

- Hire for an immediate need without ensuring there is a long term need for that role. What will it look like in 1 year? 3 years time?

Of course, all things that can be overcome with the right strategy in place, but costly mistakes that end up affecting humans around you.

What other people related challenges have you seen?

Ivana Štulina · Answer

I completely agree with @annaho2000's point. Focusing on too many features can definitely dilute resources and delay the time to market. I’d also emphasize the importance of charging from the start. Offering a free product often attracts users who aren't necessarily your ideal customers. By charging early on, you can better validate market fit and ensure you're building for those truly willing to invest in the solution.

Lyudmila Popova · Answer

In my first startup, I put too much faith in my expertise and asked too few questions of the users.

Yash Ramchandani · Answer

@tara_fitzgerald +1

Answer

A mistake we made early on was not focusing enough on marketing. We put all our energy into building the product and assumed people would naturally find it. We quickly realized that without a solid marketing plan, even the best product can go unnoticed. Lesson learned: don’t neglect marketing from the start.

AnnaHo · Answer

@tara_fitzgerald Your experience highlights the importance of thorough market research. Understanding market size and demand is crucial before investing resources. This lesson can help others avoid similar pitfalls by encouraging them to validate their ideas and assess market potential early in their startup journey.

What’s one mistake you made early in your startup journey that others can learn from?

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