Category: Building a business

How to Achieve Your Entrepreneurial Goals: 12 Ways to Turn a Dream Into Reality

By Maulik Bengali
Becoming a successful entrepreneur is no small feat. The path to entrepreneurial success is often paved with setbacks, failures, and moments of self-doubt. It requires relentless dedication, unwavering perseverance, and a hunger for continuous learning.

“Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.”—Anonymous

It’s not only about acquiring knowledge and skills; it’s also a transformative journey of mindset. It requires a shift in perspective, a rewiring of beliefs, and cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset.

Are you an aspiring entrepreneur hoping to make it big in your own business? Here are 12 pieces of advice you should follow in order to succeed.

12 keys to achieving your goal of growing a successful business

1. If you don’t know, figure it out

When you start a business, you’re bound to encounter many uncertainties. But here’s the thing: it’s okay to not have all the answers. What’s important is having the confidence to tackle challenges directly, finding solutions, and continuously learning. Embrace the unknown and trust in your ability to find the right answer.

2. Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks

They say fortune favors those who take bold actions. You’ll often find yourself outside of your comfort zone, but that’s where the real magic happens. It’s all about taking calculated risks—carefully considering potential outcomes, making informed decisions, and seizing opportunities that can propel your business forward.

3. Treat others how you want to be treated

Building relationships is essential for any entrepreneur. So, remember the golden rule: treat others with respect, empathy, and fairness. By creating a positive work environment and fostering trust, you’ll establish strong relationships that can lead to valuable partnerships and collaborations. Additionally, being kind and considerate in your interactions is not only good for others, but also brings positive energy and goodwill to your own journey.

4. Never burn bridges

In the business world, it’s crucial to think long-term. When disagreements arise or paths diverge, take the high road because you never know when you might cross someone’s path again. Handling negative situations with professionalism and respect helps you preserve your reputation and keeps the door open for future opportunities.

5. Always ask what’s working and what isn’t

Your business is constantly evolving and changing, and being able to quickly respond and adapt to changes is key. Regularly evaluate your strategies, products, and processes. Take the time to reflect and ask yourself, “What’s working well? What needs improvement?” Seeking feedback and staying adaptable allows you to make necessary adjustments, stay ahead of the competition, and keep your business thriving.

6. Create a vision board

A vision board, a visual representation of your goals and aspirations, can keep you on your toes, focused, and aligned with your long-term vision. When facing challenges, it should be a constant reminder of the goals you’re working toward. During tough times, it should inspire and motivate you, injecting that extra dose of determination.

7. Know the “why” that drives you to succeed

Understanding your purpose, the driving force behind your entrepreneurial journey is absolutely crucial. What’s the deep-rooted reason behind your pursuit? Knowing this answer will provide you with direction and resilience when you are facing obstacles. It’s that underlying motivation that will keep you going, even when things get tough. So dig deep, connect with your purpose, and let your “why” fuel your passion and unwavering commitment to achieving your goals.

8. Failing’s not a crime; not failing forward is

Failure is not the end—it’s an opportunity for growth. As an entrepreneur, you’re bound to stumble. Embrace those failures, because they hold valuable lessons. Learn from your mistakes, extract those nuggets of wisdom, and use them to make better decisions in the future. Failure should be a stepping stone toward success.

9. Your health is your most valuable asset

It’s easy to neglect your physical and mental well-being when you’re running a business. But here’s a reality check: your health is your most valuable possession. Take care of yourself, both physically and mentally. Prioritize self-care because when you’re in good shape, you have the energy, focus, and resilience necessary to overcome challenges and make sound decisions. Remember, you are the heart of your business.

10. Celebrate all wins, big or small

Whether it’s a major milestone or a small accomplishment, take the time to acknowledge and celebrate your achievements. Entrepreneurship can be a challenging journey, so celebrating wins—no matter how big or small—can boost your morale and motivation. Celebrating also reinforces the belief that you’re on the right track and encourages you to keep moving forward. So take a moment to celebrate. You deserve it!

11. Be grateful for where you are

Take a moment to appreciate where you are in your entrepreneurial journey. Recognize the progress you’ve made, the lessons you’ve learned, and the opportunities that have come your way. Cultivating a sense of gratitude builds resilience and optimism, enabling you to navigate future challenges with a positive outlook. Gratitude can turn even the toughest days into valuable stepping stones on your path to success.

12. Done is better than perfect

Striving for perfection can often lead to procrastination and missed opportunities. Remember, progress is more important than perfection. Embrace the notion that “done is better than perfect.” Take action, complete tasks, and make things happen. As you move forward, you can refine your work and make improvements. Embracing imperfections allows you to make strides, learn from experience, and achieve your goals. So don’t get caught up in the pursuit of perfection—take the leap and get things done.

Transition from being a dreamer to an achiever

Know that success doesn’t happen overnight. It requires cultivating qualities like perseverance, resilience, and a mindset focused on growth. By following this advice, you can transition from being a dreamer to an achiever.

Keep in mind that the path won’t be easy, but the journey itself will be immensely valuable. It’s time to take action, start making things happen, and create your own unique success story.

About the Author

Post by: Maulik Bengali

Maulik Bengali is the founder of Tacnique, an AI-based tech hiring platform that offers Interview-as-a-service and enables engineering to make hiring decisions through evaluated candidates’ profiles swiftly. He’s been an entrepreneur for the last 11 years, and runs a completely remote-first team that caters to clients such as Visa, Zillow, JLL, VTS, and Al Habtoor Group, to name a few.

Company: Tacnique
Website:
www.tacnique.com
Connect with me on
LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

How to Build a Unicorn Startup—And What to Do Afterward


By Sagi Gidali

Sitting in a dinky little diner in San Francisco’s Union Square, about to take a bite of a greasy cheeseburger, I scrolled through my phone. A press release had just gone live announcing that our company, Perimeter 81, had secured $100 million in funding to bump our valuation to $1 billion.

What I dreamt about for several years was finally true: I built a unicorn.

I saw all the media coverage we had received, all the kind, congratulatory messages hitting my inbox, and the life-changing moment I was waiting for never came. This is a major milestone I had worked for since I became an entrepreneur. Don’t get me wrong, it was exciting, but I realized that the achievement wasn’t an end goal that made me a different person. The hard work was only beginning.

You might expect the founder of a unicorn to be throwing a lavish party or having brunch in the lobby restaurant of a five-star hotel. I was sitting at a booth in a hole-in-the-wall diner feeling pressure and responsibility to lead us to the next milestone. The perception of a unicorn is that the growth doesn’t stop, so I had to make sure we kept our collective foot on the gas pedal.

With each milestone you pass, there’s increased expectations from the board and investors to continue innovating and scaling your company. Employees are also looking for increased leadership, and to understand what the company’s growth means for their own careers and futures. You need to lead by example and reward their efforts so your company can maintain its growth plan.

Our next goal isn’t directly monetary—it’s to disrupt the cybersecurity industry. We are on a mission to simplify the way we consume cybersecurity and are well-positioned to do so since the world has changed drastically in the last couple of years. Getting to this point was a nine-year journey. That journey is far from over, but I’ve learned enough that I can share some helpful tips that may make your entrepreneurial journey that much easier.

How to build a unicorn startup

Take risks and be bold

In 2013, my cofounder and I
started our first company. We certainly weren’t perfect, but we learned from each other and from what didn’t work. We found that you need to assess a combination of things, from the landscape of the market you’re looking to enter, to your own hunch about what you’re looking to bring to the table, to customer needs, and many data points.

With that first company, SaferVPN, we compiled tons of data points by talking with customers, collecting and analyzing feedback, showing insights, talking with industry analysts, and seeing what competitors were doing. When you combine all those data points, you can make better tactical and strategic decisions.

In 2019, we took the biggest risk and stopped the company. We used our infrastructure and intellectual property as inspiration for Perimeter 81. We had a B2C solution and started building a B2B tool in parallel, but the resources began cannibalizing each other and we were starting to lose focus. It was a big struggle at the time, but we decided we couldn’t keep them both.

The B2C was profitable, but we didn’t see a sustainable future. Perimeter 81 was nothing more than our assumption of trends. We foresaw the shift to the cloud, and that remote work would be the way of the future (of course, we had no way of knowing that a global pandemic would accelerate adoption). We sold SaferVPN because we saw a huge opportunity. It was also a huge risk. Our bet paid off.

Build strong management

I have a great relationship with my cofounder, Amit Bareket—after all, I started two companies with him. But it’s more than just maintaining that one relationship. You should surround yourself with strong people who are experts in their field, and let them help you.

Learn to delegate and understand that you can’t do everything, which is tempting when you’re building your own company from scratch. Just lead the way, be the sherpa for the people in your company, and trust them to do what you
hired your employees to do.

That manpower may not always be the same. Economic conditions may determine who is right for your company at any given point. People that you really like, who were very good from the beginning, might not be able to match expectations and deliver what’s required at a certain point of growth for your company. It’s a painful change, but a sign of strong management if you can make the right decisions.

Stay humble

I’m proud that Perimeter 81 didn’t change when it became a unicorn. If I were driven by ego instead of my genuine desire to see our company change the cybersecurity landscape, perhaps things would be different. The way I see it, our success hasn’t changed our culture. I’m not secluded in a corner office, shut off from the rest of the team. I sit with our valued employees during my workday and initiate conversations with them.

If Perimeter 81 were the kind of company to blow millions on a celebration, it would affect the talent, employee retention, and create a different
company culture than the values we’ve prided ourselves on. Humble leadership is required for growth. You’ll need to develop other skill sets along the way, of course, but remaining steadfast in how you behave sets the course for your future growth and keeps your focus on the task at hand.

Until, that is, you enjoy a quick cheeseburger before attending a major conference. Then you find a new goal and keep grinding.

About the Author

Post by: Sagi Gidali

Sagi Gidali is a serial entrepreneur who creates, scales, and optimizes new SaaS solutions. As a UX/UI leader and expert designer with over 15 years of experience in the field, he has also worked for Siemens as a UX consultant. Perimeter 81 is Sagi’s second venture after transforming SaferVPN, sold in 2019 to J2 Global, from a bootstrap startup to a self-sustained business. At SaferVPN, Sagi led all the product, marketing, and design aspects of the service. Sagi served in the IDF’s elite visual intelligence unit (Unit 9900) and worked as a software developer for Imperva. He holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Economics from Tel Aviv University.

Company: Perimeter 81

Website:
www.perimeter81.com

Connect with me on
Twitter and LinkedIn

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