How to Build a Startup 101

2021-10-01

Target a big market, build an MVP with the least amount of tech, and launch!

Table of Contents


Target a big market

Arthur Rock, Fairchild Semiconductor: “Give me a giant market — always.”

Sequoia Capital: A market on the path to a $1B potential allows for error and time for real margins to develop.

Don Valentine, Sequoia Capital: Target big markets — If you don’t attack a big market, it’s highly unlikely that you’re going to build a big company.

It's not enough for startup founders to create a solution to a problem, they must be able to scale that solution to a market that is large. Make sure that a lot of people in this world already need what you are building.

Build an MVP

Almost all of your favorite startups launched with an ugly website or mobile app. If you're ashamed of your product that's exactly when you should launch. You don't need to launch a perfect product.

Airbnb (2008)

Airbnb's original website did not have a map search, a catalog of beautifully photographed properties, and a payment integration; however, it did not stop them from launching. Neither should you.

For more evidence of other successful startups such as Uber, Craigslist, Buzzfeed, and many more that started out ugly, you can go here.

Today, you can start by building a beautiful landing page quickly through Typedream #shamelessplug

Launch your product

Once you have finished your MVP, release it to the people that need them. Here is a list of places where you should launch your product from Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares' book Traction.

The traction channels that startup founders can tap into:

  1. Targeting niche blogs
  2. Publicity (media)
  3. Unconventional PR
  4. SEM
  5. Social and display ads
  6. Offline ads
  7. SEO
  8. Content marketing
  9. Email marketing
  10. Engineering marketing: microsites, widgets, free tools to drive leads
  11. Viral marketing (WOM)
  12. Business development
  13. Sales
  14. Affiliate programs
  15. Existing platforms
  16. Trade shows
  17. Offline events (meetups, conferences)
  18. Speaking at events

If you want a summary of what we've read from the book follow @typedreamHQ on Twitter or Instagram and DM us!


See More Posts

background

From Dreams to Reality With Typedream: Sveta Bay & Dan Kulkov

background

Instagram Growth Hacks for Content Creators: Use Reels

background

How to Get 10,000 Instagram Followers in 30 Days: Your Ultimate Guide

Show more


We're a remote software company, building online tools for creators, builders, and side hustlers. We quit our 9-5 to pursue our dreams, and we want to help others do the same.

Typedream - No-code site builder, easy as Notion, pretty as Webflow | Product Hunt

Backed by

Copyright © 2023 Govest, Inc. All rights reserved.

Made in Typedream