Today lots of people are getting attracted towards startups. They see big money into it in short time.
But what they realize after entering into it is it's completely different from the glamourous it looks from outside.
Startups are chaotic,full of confusion,ever changing responsibilities,work-life balance disturbance, boiler cooker pressure.
If you have spend large part of your carrier in big corporates 99.99% chances are you will go back to the comforting zone again where there are no challenges, fixed opportunities, defined roles and hence no rewards.
Most important role in any startup is role of founders.On the last day of this year, the below is the small piece of advice for all people who are looking to start their company/startup in 2018.
Founders/co-founders role is like crew of any flight. More experienced person(experience is not by number of years) takes the role of captain and rest as first officers.
Stage 1 - Equipment check : Validate the idea, do market research. Observe external conditions and see whether its good day to fly with your equipment(idea)
Stage 2 Take off(MVP development) : Founders and other crew members work as team to get it off the ground. This is one of the most demanding part of entire flight where everything is required with precision/accuracy.Nobody leaves their seat at this moment because this is most crucial part of entire journey. If you have seen both captain and first officers holds hand of each other when they put their hands on accelerator to show that they will be with each other on the entire journey.
Stage 3 In Air(MVP release) - This is the time they maneuver flight with respect to external conditions(market acceptance, user feedback), other flights(competition) and apply correct controls via rudder,aileron,thrust(adding/removing features,marketing,sales) to take it to cruising level
Stage 4 Cruising altitude (Product/Sales stabilize) : This is the first time in entire journey where founders can relax and hand over their responsibility to autopilot (next level of hierarchy like directors etc). Founders can only take break when they reach at this stage. Even at this stage constant observations is required from one of the founders.Depending on first 3 stages time to reach this stage significantly varies for different startups
Stage 5 Mayday (Emergency situation when sales are dipping) : Founders are again required to take control back and steer the flight to safety by doing what is best at that moment.
Stage 6 (Exit) : Captain and first officers are last one to leave flight deck.They should make it satisfying experience for passengers(customers) and crew(your teammates)
Startup is grind everyday and every minute. Don't try to do it seeing others are doing it. You see only part of iceberg and not the hidden part.This is the journey you should only take when you are ready for it.