Simon Martelo

So many founders have a great idea but can’t figure out how to sell it. Second-time founders know that they shouldn’t even bother with an idea if it is not sell-able. Marketing risks force you to face the truth: Do you know enough about your market to know how to sell it and who will buy it?

It’s critical to start with the right set of early customers to kick off all the self-reinforcing growth cycles we’ve discussed above. You have to start by knowing who your best early customers will be — for productivity/collaboration companies that’s often knowledge workers on remote and distributed teams, and often engineers.

Self-esteem isn’t something you receive. No one can give it to you, and no one can take it away. People can praise you and it might not land. People can criticize you and it might light a fire. Either way, if your sense of self moves with their words, they’re still in control.

The kind that actually stays is built slowly. It comes from doing things... See more

3. Amazing Customer Care is your best marketing tool: - Separating customer care and marketing may leave them with non-aligned goals and as your company starts growing, with communication problems. This can be avoided by making customer care part of your marketing strategy, coexisting in a harmonious symbiosis.