

How to Start a Startup? - Apane

The real question is where does one begin? I&#x27;m sure there are several of you out there with the next BIG idea but have no idea where to start. I&#x27;m in the same position, and like many of you I have an internal dialog that goes something like:<p>&quot;I&#x27;ll build web applications for clients for another year and continue saving up so that I can bootstrap my venture.&quot;<p>or<p>&quot;What if it goes to hell, and I&#x27;m left with nothing?&quot;<p>Basically, I&#x27;m procrastinating. These are obviously real issues but I&#x27;d like to hear from others on the best way to actually approach starting a start up. Where should one begin? Raising funding first? Setting a side a limited budget that you can afford to lose?<p>Curious to hear your thoughts.<p>Cheers!
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smt88
Startups are extremely risky. They're a terrible way to make a living, and
they're an even worse way to get rich. For the vast, vast majority of people,
I'd suggest not starting a startup at all. It's difficult, painful, tedious,
and frustrating. It requires a huge amount of sacrifice.

If you're determined to do it, the book Lean Startup lays out a good
methodology for actually building your product and minimizing the cost of
failure. It's not exactly a "start here" kind of book, though.

There's a series that's been on HN recently called "How to Start a Startup"
that you might want to check out.

Regarding your question, "What if it goes to hell, and I'm left with nothing?"
Chances are EXCELLENT that it will go to hell. If you can accept bankruptcy,
that might not be an issue for you.

If you have a day job that gives you lots of flexibility and extra time, you
may be able to bootstrap something on the side. You'll need access to
customers for quick revenue. A good rule of thumb is that, if you can't build
it in a weekend and sell it to someone, you should look for something simpler
and more needed by your target market.

Note that when I say "access to customers", I mean intimate knowledge of those
customers as well as personal connections. I've never worked on construction,
so I wouldn't build a SaaS for construction foremen. Who are the smartest
people in your network who would instantly understand the value of a new
software product? Do they have a lot of money? Are they in industries where
they adopt new technology quickly?

To answer your question about where to begin: find a group that you know that
struggles from a problem. Ask them about it. Then spend a weekend building
something that solves their problem. Then ask them to pay for it.

