Starting a startup is hard. This thread will contain some key advice I think are particularly noteworthy:

1. “If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.” - @paulg The first version of my product was not great, but hey, it worked.

2. Don't build in a vacuum. You should build your product out in the open for the world to see. You will gain valuable feedback from users if you build publicly, and provide insights which ensure you are building a product users truly want. cc @rrhoover @sama
3. As a young founder, a massive weakness is age and the lack of credibility. Developing partnerships, trying to acquire customers. etc have all taken so much longer. In fact, when I mentioned my age, a few investors just walked away. cc @Jason
4. Work on what makes you feel excited. Working on something that you don't believe in will cause you to make rash product decisions, resulting in loss of user loyalty. @fredwilson
5. Take care of yourself. While doing the occasional code sprint can be incredibly useful, working 24/7 and disregarding your health just to build a great product is not a wise choice.
6. Move as fast as you can. As a startup you can build and ship things as fast as you can work, something that doesn't happen with larger companies. Also, the faster you ship, the more motivated your team will be. cc @KatManalac @gustaf
7. Talk to users. Email them for advice, jump on a call with them, or even create a Slack group for your beta. They can give you valuable advice your team cannot provide. cc @mwseibel @Suhail
Startup advice is everywhere on the internet. This thread just contained a few pieces of advice that have particularly resonated with me over the last few months. @sama has a great blog post about startup advice here: https://t.co/Y8XqFzPzvp.

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Please add your own.

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“Gun to the head—what would you decide now?”

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“What does success look like in a world where you pick that path?”

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