Emi Gal, serial entrepreneur and CEO of Brainient – a company that helps brands such as Channel 4 and FOX create interactive video advertising – shares his start-up checklist.
MAKE/OFFER GOODS OR SERVICES PEOPLE WANT
It’s a competitive global market; invest your time researching it. Only build something you know people will buy. Know your customers – and your competitors – by getting out there and meeting them.
ALWAYS ASK FOR FEEDBACK
When you’re building your business, it is incredibly important to test your product. Use your friends, family, network and potential customers for feedback from the start. This will save you bigger problems down the line.
BUILD YOUR TEAM WISELY
Recruitment is hard and it takes time. In a start-up, your first few hires are crucial for your business. Invest your time wisely – hire people you feel you can have a beer with and who will be as passionate about your start-up as you are.
DON’T FRET ABOUT YOUR LOCATION
At Brainient, we are headquartered in London, have a technology team in Romania, investors from the UK and Silicon Valley, and clients as far away as India. It doesn’t really matter where everyone is based, the internet has enabled all companies to go global.
LISTEN AND BE PATIENT
People with plenty of patience are wiser because they take the time to listen. As a founder, you need to learn this sooner rather than later. Some things can only be learnt from experience but the more you listen, the quicker you will learn.
BE AMBITIOUS, BUT PLAN
Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Investors will respect you for aiming high, but back it up with a thorough road map of how you plan to get there. Think about how you will scale, and make a five-year plan not a one-year.
CONSIDER AN ACCELERATOR
There are a host of accelerators out there to consider if you want to kick start your business and open yourself to a new network of opportunity. Do your research to find the best accelerator program for you. The benefits are numerous; credibility, validation, focus and momentum to name a few.
HAVE FUN!
Fun is a great motivator. Walk into work with a smile and chances are you’ll be more productive. Lead your team by example and have fun every day!
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