Stay alive long enough to become an overnight success

Great successes are rarely created overnight, companies often develop their product too early (it is a lot easier to figure out when you are too late for a market). If you really think your ideas is going to take off then sell what product you can, keep advocating, and stay alive until customers realize you were right and the time is now. Then get irritated later when people point out how easy it was for you to become a success overnight.

Follow the sound of opening checkbooks

Too many entrepreneurs fall in love with their own technology and end up with a “build it and they will come” attitude. They try to preach the benefits of their product to the customer instead of identifying and solving the customer problem.

Don’t tell your customers what they need – listen to find out what they will pay for. If they really need it they may even pay something up front, the surest sign of commitment.