Things I Learned While In Rising Stars:

#1. Focus on customer data and delight..not on competition #2. Before you scale...run the startup like a small business not a side project #3. Test, Iterate, Repeat #4. Unit economics are king #5. Everybody has to hustle (i.e..do whatever it takes to get something done..i.e sales and execution) #6. Action trumps pontification #7. Team culture and mutual respect is the foundation for success. Great teams are like cults! #8. Put together processes, standards and systems for everything (values, hiring, firing, expectations, roles, sales, etc.) and ensure everyone is accountable to those standards #9. If you are overly stressed it’s because something is wrong with the timing, idea or team. Don't stress, just fix it #10. Success comes from your peers helping you out. Find a knowledge sharing group of like minded founders, preferably in the same vertical and join it #11. To build a startup, you must self realize (let go of fear, doubt, ego, shame, identity) and double down on your personal power #12. It's all about sales...everyone founder has to be willing to learn how to SELL (leverage relationships, PR, market, brand, bring on partners, etc.) #13Differentiation comes from the heart not a textbook