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10 Successful Entrepreneurs You Should Emulate

 

by Roye Okupe


If you are running a startup, you need some tidbits and insights from other entrepreneurs to chart your way in your industry. Sometimes, you can make costly mistakes if you rely on yourself. However, by following the advice of some successful entrepreneurs in your industry, you are more likely to progress fast and be successful in your venture.

 

Here are 10 successful entrepreneurs and highlights of what we could learn from them:

 

1. “Start lean.” -Mary-Alice Brady

 

 

Mary-Alice Brady is Founder of mosaicHUB. Avoid bringing too many people on the onset of your business. Keeping a small and focused staff in the early stages of your business can be difficult but will keep your costs low and is likely to propel you to growth fast.

 

2. “Focus on what you do best.” -Roman Grigorjev

Roman Grigorjev if Chief Yeti of GuessMate.me. Many entrepreneurs have different ideas. Identify the best idea and focus on it. Otherwise, you will just be an expert at ideas. What makes a good business is not the best idea, but the best execution.

 

3. “Do one thing at a time.” -Dharmesh Shah

Dharmesh Shah @dharmesh is Co-founder of HubSpot. Many entrepreneurs run multiple businesses at the same time. Building a business is a time consuming thing and there will be many long nights. Focus on building one business at a time. Do something that you are good at really well.

 

4. “Hustle your way.” -Trace Cohen

Trace Cohen @trace_cohen if Co-founder of Launch.it. Opportunities can pass you by because of laziness. Don’t let this happen. Be a go-getter. Attend that business meeting, reply that email or send that report to that potential investor. Success comprises of the simple seemingly irrelevant things that people do.

 

5. “Don’t Set up your business with the intention of selling.” – Alok Kejriwal

Alok Kejriwal @rodinhood is CEO of Games2Win.

 

 

Setting up your business with the intention to sell is a wrong approach. Businesses go through a lot of quagmires and if you are looking to sell, you will start concentrating on exits rather than providing value and spurring growth in the company.

 

6. “Watch the legal stuff.” -Kim Norland

Kim Norland @kimnorland if Founder of Design Success. Have a lawyer from the onset of your business. Relying on personal intuition and “legal common sense” can hurt you in the long run. Have your books and business legal stuff in order. Make sure the taxman gets his dues.

 

7. “Use your talents.” -Michael Fear

Michael Fear @michaelefear is Founder of Get Better Today. Work on something that you are passionate about and that is complemented by your talents. This way, you will enjoy what you do and you won’t even feel like you are working.

 

8. “Have a business strategy.” -Ryan Garner

Ryan Garner is Co-founder of Smart Farm Apps.

 

 

Focusing solely on product development can make your fail miserably. Businesses are not built on strong products alone. There are suppliers to think of, marketing and a host of other things to consider. Have a clear strategy to follow.

 

9. “Educate yourself.” -Max Rostotski

Max Rostotski is Founder of GoodsMasterHQ.com. Take advice from successful entrepreneurs. The Startup Owner’s Manual and The Lean Startup by Eric Ries are must-reads for any serious entrepreneur. Read and apply. You do not want to keep reading and stall your business activities.

 

10. “Stop listening to the noise.” -Vipin Khandelwal

Vipin Khandelwal @vipinkh is Co-founder of Learning Infinite. When you want to start your business, you will get advice on how you should do things from different people. This can make you delay executing your plans. Know when to stop listening and start doing.

 

In the end, you have to take that leap to be the entrepreneur. Don’t let fear stop you from starting your business.

 

Roye Okupe is a Marketing & Branding expert focused on helping entrepreneurs, start-ups and small businesses grow.  He is the founder of Roye Productions, an Creative Design and Marketing agency with a variety of services designed to transform businesses into major players in their markets. Contact Roye via EmailGoogle+Twitter, or Facebook.

 

 

Photo Credits

maryalicebrady | Alok Kejriwal | Ryan Garner | Roye Okupe

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