Our response: so what! Sure, you hear about "overnight" success stories on CNBC, Forbes, Fortune, Business Week, and the rest of 'em. Yet, when those guys weren't watching, something else was going on: <span class="highlight">Those "overnight success" companies had been plowing the fields all along -- working their butts off before anybody cared.</span> A big-business "guru" would term them as "sucky" -- but folks, we use a different perspective: <h2>We affectionately call it the "sucky" stage.</h2> Companies never become great overnight. <span class="highlight">Study any great business, and you'll see calculated growth during its beginnings.</span> They started with one key customer, then gradually but surely and smartly expanded their customer base. <h2>Just starting a company? </h2> Use this sweet three-step approach inspired by those great companies. It's the "sucky" stage that you might be experiencing: <ol> <li><h2>Start out sucking, but conserve cash.</h2> No, you won't land on the cover of Forbes tomorrow for your "great" idea. So, forget landing the "perfect idea" before you start your company. <span class="highlight">A <a href="http://www.trizle.com/is-perfectionism-good-for-your-business/">perfectionist attitude kills you</a> from ever doing anything. </span> Instead, do what we do at Trizle: embrace that you suck. <span class="highlight">That mindset drives you to produce something, anything. </span>When you're feeling lower than Paris Hilton's biophysics test scores, you have nowhere to go but up. <span class="highlight">You'll be like the underdog that's gunning for Goliath and has nothing to lose. The mindset tells you that failure's okay -- and helps you learn, and improve. Failure (a.k.a. sucking), as our philosophy goes, is the only way to breakthrough success. </span> And in the process: Keep cash close to your booty as humanly possible as you progress to the next stage. Without it, you can't survive.</li> <li><h2>Get one customer, know that you still stuck, but still: conserve cash.</h2> Truth is, to keep yourself afloat, you better be providing value to somebody. Otherwise, why be in business? (Also, another truth: there's a 99.99999% chance somebody needs your expertise; so be on the lookout.) When you do find a customer, know this: you won't provide the "perfect" service to your customer. You'll make mistakes. Who cares? <strong>Deal with it, embrace it, and learn from it. You'll be much better next time. And the next. And so on.</strong> <span class="highlight">Michael Jordan became an astronomical success because he embraced failure every step of the way toward his six rings. Without that mindset that says failure's needed, you won't ever succeed.</span> Cash tight: check! Next. </li> <li><h2>Expand from that one customer. Embrace your sucky-ness. Conserve cash.</h2> (Cash should almost be tattooed to your behind by now.) If you're providing a somewhat memorable experience to your first customer (and s/he's not suing your butt), you'll probably get a good referral. Don't just expect one, however: ask for one. If none exists at the moment, leave some business cards. More than likely, you'll receive a good referral in the near-future. Usually, you'll receive more than one. In the meantime, improve. <span class="highlight">The whole "we-still-suck" attitude drives you to do just that -- and will further solidify your infrastructure to serve two more customers -- then four -- then 20 -- then 400 -- then a gazillion</span>. (Then you'll land on the cover of Forbes for your "overnight" success story. Blah.)</li> </ol> <h2>Folks, that's the secret to starting a great business.</h2> <span class="highlight">Build your customer base exponentially by embracing your sucky-ness as a sign to improve constantly during each phase of your rock star business. </span>Walmart, Starbucks, Apple, Microsoft all started out in the same stage. They used that mindset as a fuel for improvement to serve a crazy number of customers. If you feel your startup's sucking right now, it's all good: Google, HP, IBM, and Wells Fargo went through the same stages as you are now. 2006-07-17T19:11:00-07:00 false 277 why-does-my-startup-company-suck 0 2009-11-03T18:00:50-08:00