1 min read The startup world is full of big ideas. Entrepreneurs have grand plans to make these big ideas a reality. It is the venture world, so you better have large ideas. However, the talk about the idea is often full of overstatements and amplification. It paints a picture of a future so bright that it’s blinding. So blinding that all they see are the possibilities, not how serious it is to follow through and do the work.
The problem is some entrepreneurs are full of big ideas and nothing more. The startup world is open to anybody. Since the space is so open, it seems like everybody comes through it at some point in time. Unfortunately, this leads to some individuals passing through who are not serious enough to propel a startup toward success.
What to Look For
Here are a few signs that an entrepreneur may not take the business seriously enough to be successful:
- Job titles are overly important to them. They are generally more concerned with receiving titles and credit for the work than they are about the actual work.
- They are not focused on the customer. In fact, they may not even have a clear understanding of who their customer is or what that customer wants.
- They don’t take responsibility for problems the startup may have. They blame others for the issues and may claim there is nothing they can do to fix the problem.
Know your entrepreneur. An entrepreneur who isn’t committed to the cause will raise funding and ultimately waste it. You do not want to invest money in those who aren’t going to see it through.
Hall T. Martin is the founder and CEO of the TEN Capital Network. TEN Capital has been connecting startups with investors for over ten years. You can connect with Hall about fundraising, business growth, and emerging technologies via LinkedIn or email: hallmartin@tencapital.group
