Tarun Roy’s Post

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀? Mark Zuckerberg had it right: risk-taking and speed. Big companies? They have their strengths—resources, reach, and stability. But as they grow, their structures often slow them down: • New ideas get stuck in endless approval loops. • Layers of management create distance from real customer needs. • Fear of risk keeps them from making bold moves. 𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲: The market doesn’t wait. You can’t afford to sit back and play it safe. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁: • Facebook started in a crowded market and reshaped the social world. • Digital cameras emerged when film dominated—and look where film is now. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻? Staying agile and bold is the only way to stay ahead. That’s where Venturecake comes in. Austria’s first co-owned startup accelerator, built to help founders like you scale faster and smarter. 🗓️ 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝘂𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽? Join our Info Session on 12.12.2024 to learn more. 🔗 Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/efWuiduM Find out more at venturecake.eu

What’s the most important task for a startup? It might seem obvious, but for some reason, it wasn’t for me. At least, not back then. Let me rewind a bit. I was a co-founder in a startup that, well… didn’t quite take off. Looking back, we got caught up in all the usual startup clichés—like pitching at every startup contest and joining an accelerator. We burned a ton of time raising funds and even made a pilgrimage to the Bay Area to pitch to anyone who’d listen (yes, even Uber drivers). But here's the thing—we completely overlooked the most crucial part of starting a business: making revenue. In other words, getting paying customers, a.k.a. selling. It was a tough lesson to learn, but honestly, it was worth it. That experience taught me more than any school ever could. So, when we launched our next startup, Ellie Technologies, we decided to flip the script. We did the exact opposite of what we’d done before. No pitch contests. No accelerators. No early chats with investors. No events. No Silicon Valley tech office tours. No marketing, no SEO, no campaigns, no CRMs. Just us, Google Workspace, and the bare minimum. We simply focused on two things: understanding the customer’s problem and making revenue as early as possible. In my next post, I’ll dive into how we landed our first paying customers. Stay tuned! Ps. In the pic, we’re working on the early version of Ellie with the data modeling guru Alec Sharp whose ideas influenced our work a great deal!

Unpopular opinion: You need not know EVERYTHING when you build a tech startup When Srivatsan Venkatesan and I started the company, we were faced with numerous challenges that we had no clue about. From filing corporate GST to approaching venture capitalists, there were many things that we had to learn on the fly. One of the biggest misconceptions about starting a tech startup is that you need to have all the answers before you begin. But the truth is, you don't. You can't know everything, and it's okay not to have all the answers. What's important is that you're willing to learn, adapt, and pivot as needed. When we first started - - We didn't have a brand or a story to tell - We didn't have a brand of ourselves - We didn't know were this idea would take us All, we had is all the knowledge and experience! So, instead of letting these unknowns hold us back, we decided to take the leap and figure it out as we went along. It wasn't easy, of course - - There were many late nights spent - There were many mistakes made - And lessons learned We just started, and we learned as we went. And you know what? It worked. So, if you're thinking of starting a tech startup, don't let the fear of the unknown hold you back. Don't wait until you feel like you have all the answers. Just start, and learn as you go. You'll be surprised at how much you can accomplish when you're willing to take the leap and jump into the deep end of the pool.

It is not necessary to have all the answers before starting up, says Ramesh Ravishankar, co-founder and Chief Growth Officer at Highperformr.ai. Sharing his own experience of facing challenges, he highlights that one must be willing to learn, adapt, and pivot as needed. Don't wait until you feel like you have all the answers — just start, and learn as you go, Ravishankar adds. What’s your story of starting your career journey? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

It's not only about the #tech startup but if you want to start your business and don't know how to market your businesses? and what kind of name we should have? Come to the #cremarstudio where #branding and #marketing experts with me will help you to design #yourbrand and #marketyourbusiness Reach us at hello.cremarstudio@gmail.com and book your #consultations today

Every startup is unique: there's no one-size-fits-all. I keep hearing the debate: Bootstrapped vs. Funded. Both sides have their merits, but here's the truth: Funding isn't the enemy. It's not a magic fix either. Here's how I see it: - If your business model WORKS and you've built a product people value → funding can help you scale faster. 🚀 - If you're a first-time founder with only an IDEA → chasing money is risky. Truth is, every startup is its own ecosystem. There's no blueprint. No right or wrong way. It's about respecting different paths and viewpoints. In the creator economy, like with NClip, we value authentic feedback. Our growth isn't about following others but carving our own path. Embrace your journey. Stay open. How do you see funding in your startup journey? 🤔 Let's learn from each other's experiences!

Startups that pivot once or twice often secure up to 2.5x more funding and see 3.6x better user growth. But let’s be clear: pivoting isn’t just a trendy move—it can make or break your startup. A pivot demonstrates your startup's ability to respond to market demands, showing that you can listen, learn, and adjust. Take Slack, for example. It didn’t start out aiming to be a business communication giant. Originally, it was just a tool developed by Tiny Speck for internal communication while they were trying to make it in the gaming industry. When their game flopped, they didn’t just pack up. They pivoted, transforming their communication tool into Slack, now a cornerstone platform for workplace communication worldwide. Eric Ries, in “The Lean Startup,” describes pivoting as a methodical shift based on what you’ve learned from real feedback—not just what you hoped would happen. It’s about making adjustments that are deeply informed by actual market needs and user feedback. For early-stage founders, pivoting raises an important question: Is this a setback, or is it a strategic opportunity? Reflecting on our journey at Zealous:  —> We started in the professional networking space, developing two products that provided initial traction and valuable insights. Being a bootstrapped startup, we had to be agile, quickly adapting to user feedback. This led us to develop an AI code generation and testing framework for our internal use.  —> With this Zealous framework, we created a fully functional MVP of a web application in less than a week with just one developer!  —> This was our turning point. We realized the massive potential of our framework to transform product development. So, we decided to pivot.  —> Now, we're not just using this framework internally. We've turned it into our core offering, helping other companies to substantially cut their time-to-market, reduce developer costs, and maintain high-quality products as they scale. Pivoting isn’t about scrambling in the dark; it’s about strategic evolution. It’s seeing what doesn’t work, integrating new insights, and shifting towards more promising opportunities. Have you ever had to pivot in your business? How did it impact your growth? #Startup #Founder #Pivot 

Very insightful article by Anish Tiwari, PhD on unicorn startups and an analysis of their geographical distribution - definitely worth a read (and a follow)!

Today or tomorrow, I’ll hit a new milestone on LinkedIn. 🌟 20,000 followers (𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿?) My commitment to posting 1-2 times daily has transformed my reach, driving 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 of founders and LPs to our site 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵. This is core to our RevOps strategy (demand generation): → How we attract LPs → How we attract Startup Founders → And yes, I play to win. 🏆 𝗔 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗼, I got serious about LinkedIn. → 7,434.9% increase in reach 📈 → 3.5 million impressions 🎉 But it all started with that first post back on 6/13/22. 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘂𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿, I know our brand’s success depends on a clear message and a global presence. At CanaGlobal, we’re focused on four pillars: 🚀 Startup Church 🚀 Startup School 🚀 Startup Incubator 🚀 Startup Venture Studio Though we have a stellar team, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. We’ve become a global brand — a global movement, attracting founders from around the world and all walks of life. 100% of our LPs are faith-driven patriots — proudly MAGA — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 100% 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to learn from LinkedIn pros like Kevin Jurovich and Nat Berman. 🔹 I’ve studied their strategies, connected with them, and continue to cheer them on daily. So, if you’ve been part of this journey — thank you! It’s been a privilege to get to know you, support you, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲, 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂. 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽: 100,000. ~~~ Need help, 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 and reach out. Follow me, Gerald Duran for daily startup and VC mentorship, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘁 from CanaGlobal's faith-driven venture studio and startup incubator. #startups #venturecapital #entrepreneurship

Founders — You're always 90 Days from Triumph or Defeat → You Have 90 Days to Pivot ♻ → I Live by the 90-Day Rule 🔍 When my metrics dip, especially revenue, I know I've got just 90 days to steer the ship back on course. Can it be done in 73 days? Possibly. But let's not gamble on "cute." As a seasoned managing partner at a top venture studio for over two decades, and a serial entrepreneur with 40 years under my belt, I've seen it all. → I've turned around countless startups — it's my daily bread. → I've walked the path for my first 17 years growing my own ventures. I've made every mistake in the book, turning those failures into the fertile ground for success. 🔹 90 Days Will Pass Regardless 🔹 Problems Don't Self-Correct 🔹 You Can Bandage Up or Bleed Out Most startups, unfortunately, bleed out. Something shifts — internally or in the market. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗹: → If revenue's the issue, RevOps is always the root. → Strong revenue buys time to fix product issues. 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: 𝗕𝗮𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁? 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀. → Start with the foundation: Ensure your problem-solution fit is solid. → Misalignment here throws everything off course. 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 when you know where to look, but executing the fix demands: → A Stellar RevOps Playbook (knowing what to do) → The Correct Roadmap (knowing the sequence) 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼'𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: → Every startup came to us with flat or declining revenue, typically stalling at $1-2M. → What propels you to your first $1M won't catapult you to $10M. Forget $100M! For those pre-revenue but on a collision course (a fate 90% face), those 90 days are critical before you even hit the market. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮: From Flawed to Viable, where everyone understands the stakes. 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽, go to our website and reach out. Follow me, Gerald Duran for daily startup and VC mentorship, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘁 from CanaGlobal's faith-driven venture studio and startup incubator.