Launching a startup is an exciting adventure. But sometimes there are so many details and time crunches that everything can seem like an uphill battle. We have gathered the wisdom of other entrepreneurs who launched their own startups to help keep you motivated on the road to success.
My biggest motivation? Just to keep challenging myself. I see life almost like one long University education that I never had — everyday I’m learning something new.
-Richard Branson
Chase the vision, not the money; the money will end up following you.
-Tony Hsieh, Zappos CEO
The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.
-Nolan Bushnell, Entrepreneur
User experience is everything. It always has been, but it’s undervalued and underinvested in. If you don’t know user-centered design, study it. Hire people who know it. Obsess over it. Live and breathe it. Get your whole company on board.
-Evan Williams, Co-Founder, Twitter
Embrace what you don’t know, especially in the beginning, because what you don’t know can become your greatest asset. It ensures that you will absolutely be doing things different from everybody else.
-Sara Blakely, founder SPANX
The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it.
-Debbi Fields, found Mrs. Fields Cookies
The difference between a boss and a leader: a boss says ′Go!′ − a leader says, ′Let′s go!′
-E.M Kelly, U.S Army
Nobody talks about entrepreneurship as survival, but that’s exactly what it is and what nurtures creative thinking. Running that first shop taught me business is not financial science; its about trading: buying and selling.
-Anita Roddick, founder The Body Shop
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
-Steve Jobs