16 startup risks learned the hard way.

I’m taking away these five ideas:

  1. There’s no universal GTM playbook. Try, test, and double down on what works.
  2. Speed is your moat. Technologies become obsolete in months.
  3. Timing is everything. Being early == being wrong. My add-on: Being a little early, right before Google makes your product a feature, is even worse.
  4. Incentives matter. It's hard to sell a solution that automates your customer's expertise or makes them look bad.
  5. Selling prevention is hard. Customers buy painkillers for problems they’ve already experienced.

What resonates with you?

Startup Risks I Learned the Hard Way

Sanjay Kalra's 16 startup risks: no universal GTM playbook, try and test what works Startup risk: speed is your moat, technologies become obsolete in months Startup risk: timing is everything, being early equals being wrong Startup risk: incentives matter, hard to sell solutions that automate customer expertise Startup risk: selling prevention is hard, customers buy painkillers not vitamins Summary of 16 cybersecurity startup risks learned the hard way