Avoid gatekeepers, and focus
David Cohen’s blog post got me wondering: why are so many startups vying to get into accelerator programs?
Is it really worth it to “pay for access”, as opposed to going it yourself? Paying for access attracts a wrong set of people. Namely, gatekeepers.
As a young startup, product and sales are everything. Having gatekeepers standing in your way is a huge nuisance, and it takes a huge chunk away from focus.
Here’s a list of people I think, that every entrepreneur should avoid
- connectors who introduce you to investors, who take a commision fee.
- fellow entrepreneurs in co-working spaces who like to dig deep into your operations, suggest doing B instead of A, and “get rich together” (we’ve had some of those). Say no thanks, and walk away. I’ll write a post soon about why we moved out of a co-working space.
- event organizers. If everyone is focused on product building, it doesn’t make sense to go attend an event, and get caught up in the startup frenzy.
- wannabe advisors lingering around (physically and digitally).
Basically, anyone who’s not a customer, avoid like the plague. What about a potential customer? Scout them out, and quickly classify them into A, B, C containers.
- A for immediate sales
- B for the next quarter, and
- C for Marketing, via blog posts, follow up emails or even newsletters.
How do you classify? Using the Aura Test. Listen to someone for a good 15 seconds.
If there’s an inkling of them being a customer, they’re in C. For the next 15 seconds, decide if they’re in B, or A.
For everyone else: say “thank you for your time”, and walk away.
Entrepreneurship
