Wishing all Rodinhooders a very Happy New Year!! Hope 2014 blossoms with startups & with showers of funding & goodwill!
Well for me, the 2nd half of 2013 was pretty hectic as I was building up my entertainment website https://www.pickurflick.com , and believe me even though we have barely started, its amazing how much I have learnt as an entrepreneur.
Just to give you a brief on our website Pickurflick.com, it’s a premium entertainment website for movie buffs and a one stop shop for all entertainment needs on DVD & Blu-ray.
As most of you would have faced challenges in your startup journey, mine is no different and I would like to share some of my key learnings so far and would also love to hear yours:
1. Even if your idea is not unique, you can be innovative:
Not every startup idea is a ‘Eureka’ moment, meaning somebody would have already done something similar before you decide to do it. Even before Facebook, their was Myspace. But nobody can take away or replicate the uniqueness of your personality that you bring to your startup. So be innovative and people will sit up and notice.
2. If others are already doing the same thing then will I be successful?
Again the answer is the first point. When Apple came, IBM was synonymous with the word computer. So just because you didn’t have the first mover advantage doesn’t mean you will be behind in the race. It also means that somebody has already developed the market. When Flipkart and some of the initial online companies came, the main challenge was to initiate Indians to buy online because everybody was wary of doing transactions online. Now for start-ups like us, the challenge is different, its to sustain and survive in the current online ecosystem.
3. Devil is in the detail
Even if you are smart, you have to be as meticulous in your planning as Dexter!
Believe me this may be a very oft repeated line, but there is no substitute for this. All your best laid plans can go in vain if you overlook certain details, be it your website design, your marketing campaign or even your thank you mail ! (Believe me I am still going over these details)
4. Don’t underestimate the testing phase
Even if you are sure about your idea and are ready to take the leap of faith, don’t ignore the prototype/test phase results and certainly don’t think that you would overcome these post launch phase. Everything has to work as per plan before the launch. I agree certain things iron out in regular operation but you should be able to at least reach certain ‘desired’ goals before the launch.
5. First few sales are the hardest
Getting those initial set of orders is always difficult as you are establishing your credibility in the market, people are checking the authenticity of your service. So don’t worry even if there is a delay in getting the initial breakthroughs as long as you are doing the right things. If you feel you aren’t then pls revisit point 3.
Lastly , I am not Robert Downey Jr., I just took this picture from his FB page as I felt this was inspiring and will set the tone for 2014.
Also do visit our website https://www.pickurflick.com and like us on FB!!!
Would love to hear your feedback on this article and of course on our website.
Regards,
Abhishek Sinha
