Build a business with profit, even if it’s 10 people small, Not a startup with loss, even if you become a unicorn.
Profit must be your first thing. If you would not build a profitable business, you are actually putting the life of every person working for you and your company at risk.
They are part of your story even if you fail or succeed. You will move happily if you fail, will get yourself featured, tell your story of failure to the world, and would attract empathy and appreciation BUT…
What about them who were part of your story? What about those whom you actually failed? What about those whom you actually laid off and put their families living at risk?
So, no matter small or big, unrecognized or unicorn, bootstrapped or funded, just make sure you are building a profitable business, paying handsomely to your people, and giving them the security of the job.
Don’t use the idea of a startup as a crutch. Instead, start an actual business. Actual businesses have to deal with actual things like bills and payroll. Actual businesses worry about profit from day one. Actual businesses don’t mask deep problems by saying, “It’s OK, we’re a startup.” Act like an actual business and you’ll have a much better shot at succeeding.
