Instigator Blog - Latest Comments in Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Curt — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:55:01 -0000

very important topic. i think we should always concentrate about revenue. because revenue is the heart of a business. a targeted customer is always a good source of revenue. so we should think of small rather than a big one.

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Dave — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 06:24:59 -0000

If you can hang on, and survive for a while you have a good chance for success. You’re right, as a new start up it is usually apparent very soon that your biz is not viable.

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

rolandas — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 13:51:36 -0000

In Lithuania officially recession will start soon, but already now we can feel the slowth of economy.

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Alex Delarge — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:10:43 -0000

Oh good ol Ego,
It is a greatest strength and our greatest weakness, strength because it gives us that charisma and drive to be entreupenuers, weakness is that things get too personal and effect our pride..

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

hand2010 — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 11:28:23 -0000

Great post. Thanks for the help.

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Ben Yoskovitz — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:14:29 -0000

Thanks for all the comments.

Jeff - I think the tree is shaking mightily at this point.

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Jay Robinson — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:43:04 -0000

yes it is becoming harder for smaller companies to even make a name for themselves

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Jeff — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 17:48:00 -0000

Sometimes it takes times like these to "shake the tree" a little and weed out the dead leaves. When the real estate market was booming, everyone and their mother, cousin, sister and step-brother was jumping in to become a realtor. The people who didn't belong got weeded out pretty quick and the ones who survive will be poised to come out strong when things turn around.

Same goes for a start-up. If your planning is sound and your business model solid, you should be poised for a good run.

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Omar Kettani — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 21:33:57 -0000

I am against targeting a survival mode. Startup businesses are risky in any economy even if you try to play it safe. So let's be agressive. At least there is an upside and after all it might work. Otherwise it's not worth it. Better stay in your current job.

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Matt | Small Biz Bee — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:58:14 -0000

If you can hang on, and survive for a while you have a good chance for success. You're right, as a new start up it is usually apparent very soon that your biz is not viable.

Matt

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Mike — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:40:55 -0000

I think the Darwin Theory somewhat applies here. But the "fit but not the fittest" can survive too, with a bit of adjustment, or rather evolution, in context to the conditions. Very informative post. Thanks a lot!

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Eskil — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:02:08 -0000

Even though the business oportunities are declining I think that there also will be a decline in competition, at least as long as you can survive for a while.

Another good point is that small businesses often have an advantage of less overhead costs and can compete through lower prices. In a declining ecomony that may get customers to turn to smaller suppliers.

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Mark — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 21:59:34 -0000

The reality is that the day of high-overhead businesses with high rents will face a very tough time. This is when your business model is really put to the test, and I think many of the "little people" will survive ok. It is the big companies who have borrowed heavily in anticipation of expansion who will be fretting over servicing their loans who must fall. Unfortunately, they are the big "wealth creators" so it has a knock-on effect.

Think we should all invest in space programs and start anew on Mars.

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Brandon Schlichter — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:13:01 -0000

I totally agree, the economy of everything has changed.

I am in real estate, and we've been experiencing a very large dropout of real estate agents in the industry. Many people try to build a business with shallow roots, and when things get dry , they die.

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Christina — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:15:29 -0000

I think one should also consider the size and type of the business intended. These 2 factors would greatly influence a businesses' success during rough economic times. Some business plans have higher start up costs than others, some businesses' have a higher profit to expense ratio. There are so many different factors that one needs to consider, it would be hard to make a blanket statement about ALL start up businesses.

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Rick — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 06:50:14 -0000

As long as you don't have a lot of recurring expenses, there is no reason why a small company should die. Even if you are not making money, if you are not spending any either, you can just wait until things pick up and in the mean time use free marketing techniques. That's what I do, even when I am making money.

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Tracy K — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:03:07 -0000

Gosh... I couldn't imagine waiting this recession out in order to get out of the hole! Yikes!

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Nichole — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:11:43 -0000

In the times of recession the proverb "survival of the fittest" applies. This is where the real test begins.

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Michael — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:53:43 -0000

Awesome stuff I'm soaking all this up. I'm relatively new so thanks for the info I've been checking around and you have awesome content.

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Ben Yoskovitz — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:41:34 -0000

@Dan: Going "big" can still mean generating revenue. I've argued in the past (as have others) that focusing on revenue is becoming more and more important in these difficult economic times. So I agree with you.

It's a question of defining "going big".

@Alain: I agree, the EGO has a big part to play in making decisions. And CEOs are not known for having small egos!

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Dan Thornton — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:46:14 -0000

While I agree with almost everything that's mentioned, is there not an argument for concentrating on revenue etc, rather than going 'big'?
What I mean is the tendency to focus on total numbers of users, rather than looking at the amount of revenue generated by a smaller number who actually care, and increasing that just as proactively?

Re: Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly

Alain Theriault — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:07:18 -0000

Part of being a strong entrepreneur is having a healthy Ego. But the Ego gets in the way of many decision (often the bad ones). I this case, it will certainly play in the decision to "hang on". Recognizing this and threading the fine line between pride and ego will dictate the best decision and put the entrepreneur in a better state of mind for the second round.