Entrepreneurship Success Guide

Building a startup is harder than I ever imagined. 14 lessons in the order I learned them: 1. Find your obsession. If it doesn't feel like your life's work, don't do it. Tinker till you find a problem that consumes you. And don't raise capital until you do. 2. Jevons paradox (efficiency increases demand) applies to nascent markets. When technology increases efficiency, demand surges. Gamma aims at people who need to communicate visually but lack tools. By making it much easier, we unlock more usage. New use cases = untapped TAM. 3. Your conviction is everything. Market opportunity means nothing without belief. "The world will ask who you are, and if you do not know, the world will tell you." 4. Word of mouth is the only thing that matters at first. Conviction drives products people brag about. Do their faces light up? That's what amplifies distribution. 5. Your luck surface area has 2 dimensions: Time and people. Surround yourself with people who share your values and level of ambition, and give yourself enough time to execute. 6. Compounding is the 8th wonder. Hard work compounds exponentially. 1% better daily means 37x after a year. If you just focus on winning today, you’re missing out on winning big later. Play the long game. 7. Parkinson's law (work expands to fill available resources) applies to time and money. Give people $1M budget, they'll spend $1M. Give one week, it takes one week. Constraints beget creativity. Learn when and how to apply them. 8. Power laws dictate outcomes. Allocation reveals what works. 2-3 features drive usage. 2-3 channels get users. Start broad, identify what works, double down. Experimentation is the key to understanding. 9. Know where you're at and when to evolve. v1 is for enthusiasts. v2 is for early believers. v3 is for masses. Seize the market and become the standard. 10. Strong brands have clear values. Nike is speed. Apple is aesthetics. Berkshire is integrity. “Don't be the best, be the only.” 11. Being ignorant is fine. Staying ignorant is not. Most hate sales thinking it's manipulation. Good sales is listening and solving. 12. Your story is your ticket. “People remember 2-3 things about you. Don't let them be random. Reality bends to whoever tells the better story.” 13. Become extremely literate. "Your success in life will be largely determined by your ability to speak, your ability to write, and the quality of your ideas. In that order." 14. All moats are temporary. Xerox is dead. Polaroid is gone. Kodak is history. Leverage anything you can to make your company antifragile. Skip obsession and your conviction crumbles. Skip word of mouth and distribution fails. Skip power laws and you reach local maximum. Master them all and they compound.

The day I took a 3 AM business call from New Zealand, I knew I'd failed. My girlfriend looked at me and said: "You don't own a business. Your business owns you." She was right. I'd built a successful company but forgot to build myself out of it. The best founders do one thing brilliantly: they build systems. Here's the framework that changed everything: 1. The $5,000 Hour Rule I audit my week every Sunday with one question: How many hours were actually worth $5,000? $5,000 hour tasks: • Vision setting • Hiring A-players • Strategic decisions • High-level partnerships $10 hour tasks: • Inbox zero • Editing videos • Micromanaging • Managing Slack threads Then I delegate, automate, or eliminate everything else. 2. The 4 Core Systems Most founders get lost in complexity. I focus on four systems: 1. Vision Clarity System Where are we going in 3 years? Everyone needs to know. 2. Role Definition System Who owns what? No overlap. No confusion. 3. Communication Rhythm System How do we stay aligned without endless meetings? 4. Decision Framework System How do we choose fast without me being involved? Build these four first. Everything else is noise. 3. Hire Solutions, Not Problems The worst hires ask: "Matt, what should I do?" The best hires say: "Here's the problem, here are 3 solutions, here's my recommendation." This one shift let me go from 16-hour days to 4-hour days. 4. The Rule of Three Anything I do more than 3 times gets documented. Loom plus Google Docs create playbooks so detailed a high schooler could follow them. Client onboarding? Documented. Team meetings? Documented. Customer complaints? Documented. If it's not documented, it doesn't exist in my company. 5. The Freedom Test Here's how you know your systems work: Can you disappear for 4 weeks without your business falling apart? I recently spent 3 weeks in the Dolomites with zero business calls. My team made every decision. Revenue grew 12%. Customers were happier. That's what real systems look like. Most founders build themselves into their business. Smart founders build themselves out of it. __ Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more. Ready to learn how to remove yourself from operations? Get the complete system that helps founders multiply profits while working less: https://lnkd.in/eQ4RCByh

This is a dangerous mindset that founders need to avoid: All you need is a good product and it will sell itself. At the beginning, one of my biggest misconceptions as an engineer turned founder was thinking that your product is your only competitive advantage. I never stopped to think that sales could be a competitive advantage. In the early days at AppDynamics, we managed to grow to several million dollars in annual revenue, primarily by landing a few big accounts like Netflix. But a fellow CEO pointed out the obvious: If we ever hoped to cross the $100 million threshold someday, we needed to get scientific about sales. For other founders who want to embark on a sales education, here are some steps I took: - Accept that sales actually matter. Once a company starts growing, sales, marketing and distribution are as important as the product itself. - Commit to learning — If a software engineer can learn programming, they can learn sales. That said, I won't sugarcoat it — learning sales is a years-long process and isn't something you figure out in a day. - Study the competition — I studied companies similar to mine that were 3-5 years ahead: How did that company run its sales process, and what kind of salespeople did it recruit? - Lean on experts — We were fortunate to have hired John McMahon, a top authority on enterprise software sales, for weekly whiteboard sessions. Eventually, I also hired a VP of Sales which was one of the best decisions I made as a founder. Sales should never be an afterthought and while this education requires significant time investment, it's well worth it. #Sales #FounderAdvice #Startup #Entrepreneurship

Introverts cannot become successful entrepreneurs. Bullshit Some of the best founders are introverts. They have a superpower - they observe, listen, and think deeply. That’s how they spot problems others miss and build smart solutions. What they struggle with? Networking, pitching, and having a charismatic personality. So if you’re an introvert, play the game on your own terms to win: 1️⃣ Skip big events. Meet people 1:1. Real connections > small talk. 2️⃣ Use emails and DMs. Avoid energy-draining meetings. 3️⃣ Act like an extrovert when needed. Tell yourself "It’s for my work which I really care about. I will recharge later." 4️⃣ Instead of having daily interactions, batch interactions into 1-2 days a week. This way, you can manage your energy better. 5️⃣ Be curious, not charismatic. Ask thoughtful questions, listen well, and people will naturally be drawn to you. Many successful founders are introverts. They don't change who they are. They just care about their work enough to do what’s needed. With practice, you can do it too.

For my first 16 years in tech sales, I averaged 240K/year. In my last 4 years, I averaged 720K/year. I did this by using an approach I call Yo-yo selling: 🪀 It’s how you win large, complex enterprise deals by building credibility with senior executives at the beginning of a sales cycle. This will save you months of spending time with mid or lower level Directors on a deal cycle, only to have your deal stall because it's not a priority for Executives. Here’s the concept: You start at the top, get senior level sponsorship for a deep discovery, drop down into the business, then bounce back up with a report of findings. This is the process I've used for nearly every 7-figure deal I've ever closed. Step 0: Research before outreach Before asking for time, I do deep strategic research. Earnings calls. Investor decks. Press releases. Executive interviews. I also spend time talking to their team to see if the problem that I solve exists in their company. Using that research, I build a Point of View that connects their top business goals to real execution gaps. This earns executive time. Today, AI tools like ChatGPT make this easier than ever. What used to take hours now takes minutes. If you skip this step, you lose your edge. Step 1: Prospect to the top and gain their sponsorship to engage Lead with your POV. The key is to teach them something new about their business which they aren't already aware of, and show them how it's putting their highest level goals at risk. If they lean in, offer up a deep discovery with your team and their team. Lock in a date to come back for a readout. Have them assign a project manager to help you coordinate Step 2: Drop down Once you have executive sponsorship, meet with their team. The key is to have the Exec sponsor send out a note to their team explaining what it's for. This will keep the assessment moving forward. Study workflows. Capture friction. Collect quotes. Do not pitch. Just listen. Step 3: Bounce back up Bring it all together in an executive summary. Show how their vision connects directly to what’s broken below. Present a focused business case. Build a custom demo. Create a roadmap and implementation plan. That’s where deals close. Real example from my career At Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, we were told “no” on a point solution. Instead of walking away, I stepped back and asked what the company really needed. After deep research, I re-engaged the COO with a transformation POV centered on the experience of 50,000+ agents. The result was one of the largest new logo deals in Salesforce history. But Yo-yo selling alone isn’t enough. Because it's hard to execute and takes patience. Top performers also master their mindset, habits, and discipline. That’s why I put together a free masterclass for sellers who want to break into the top 1 percent. 👉 Watch the free training here: https://lnkd.in/eWD8mTqH If you’re serious about enterprise sales, this will change how you sell.

Mining buyers will ghost you for months. Because no one wants to be the first to try. They’ll take the meeting. They’ll nod, ask smart questions, and tell you they’re “very interested.” Then? Silence. Emails unread. Calls dodged. You follow up. They say, “Still a priority. Let’s revisit next quarter.” This is mining. A slow-moving beast that avoids risk more than inefficiency. Everyone wants the second to use your tech. Meanwhile, you’re burning cash on features and expensive events. So, what are the biggest mistakes that will kill your tech startup? 1. Chasing the big fish too early. You think selling to a Tier 1 miner will validate your tech? No. It will bury you in bureaucracy for two years before telling you, “Not a priority.” A small mid-tier miner will trial your tech next month and roll it out to their sites before a major miner finishes its third meeting. 2. Waiting too long to ask for money. Mining companies love free trials. They’ll ask for endless features, “explore possibilities,” and tell you how promising it is. But will they actually pay for it? Only one way to find out: Charge them something—anything—early. A Letter of Intent. A pilot fee. A commitment to buy if KPIs are met. If they hesitate? They were never serious to begin with. 3. Pitching CapEx when they’ll only sign off on Opex. Mines aren’t just slow. They’re budget-constrained in ways that can kill your deal. A six-figure CapEx request can take a year to approve. But a $10K/month Opex subscription? Signed off in weeks. Know where the budget sits before you pitch. Otherwise, you’ll spend months selling to someone who literally cannot buy. 4. Relying on one champion inside the mine. Your contact loves your product. But procurement? IT? The mine manager? They have other plans. Mining sales are complex. It’s never just one decision-maker. If you’re not talking to multiple stakeholders, your deal will die the second your champion leaves. 5. Thinking one proof-of-concept is enough. A mine trials your product. It works. They’re happy. They still won’t buy. Why? Because one trial isn’t adoption—it’s just a test. If you want them to actually roll it out across sites, you need internal champions, external validation, and—ideally—other mines already using it. So how do you actually market to mining to sell faster? ✅ Find the right customer first. Forget the giants. Smaller mid-tiers (not just juniors) innovators make decisions faster. Find the names on any successful tech startup website. ✅ Lock in a financial commitment early. If they’re serious, they’ll pay for something. If they’re not, walk away. ✅ Get creative with pricing. If CapEx is a blocker, pivot to Opex. If Opex is tight, offer a limited-scope contract. ✅ Leverage peer pressure. Mining moves in herds. Get one company to adopt, and their competitors will follow. Ghosting isn’t personal. It’s just how mining works. Your job is to make them remember you when they’re finally ready to move.

The Pentagon Just Handed American Drone Startups a $1 Billion Golden Ticket On July 10, SECDEF dropped a memo that changes everything for drone manufacturers. Combined with Trump's June 6 executive order, we're witnessing the most radical shift in defense procurement since World War II. Here's what just happened:  The Pentagon ripped up years of red tape that kept innovative companies out of defense contracts. Now they're treating small drones (under 55 pounds) like ammunition - expendable, mass-produced, and urgently needed. The numbers are staggering: • Every Army squad gets attack drones by FY2026 • Production target: Millions of units annually • Weaponization approvals: Cut from years to 30 days • Battery certifications: Down to one week For companies eyeing this opportunity, here's your roadmap: Step 1: Compliance First (Immediate) Ensure NDAA compliance - zero Chinese components. Review the Blue UAS Framework. This isn't negotiable. One foreign chip kills your entire opportunity. Step 2: Prototype Fast (12-18 months) Build modular systems under 55 pounds. Think swappable payloads for ISR or strike missions. The 18 prototypes showcased on July 17 averaged 18 months of development vs. the traditional 6 years. Step 3: Get Certified (Ongoing) Apply to DIU's Blue UAS program. This is your fastest path to approved vendor status. The memo expands this list with AI-managed updates coming in 2026. Step 4: Find Your Entry Point (30-90 days) • Respond to the Army's July 8 solicitation for low-cost systems • Partner with established primes as a subcontractor • Target frontline units are now empowered to buy directly Step 5: Scale Smart (By 2026) Secure private funding. Explore DoD purchase commitments. Participate in the new drone test zones launching in 90 days. The brutal reality? We're playing catch-up. China produces 90% of commercial drones globally. But that's precisely why this opportunity exists. The Pentagon needs American manufacturers desperately. Watch for these challenges: • Supply chain constraints for non-Chinese components • Fierce competition from AeroVironment and Kratos • Higher production costs vs. Chinese competitors • Maintaining cybersecurity while moving fast Stock prices tell the story - drone companies surged 15-40% after the announcement. Private capital is flooding in. America is building a new arsenal, and drones are the foundation. If you have manufacturing capability, AI expertise, or can build at scale, this is your Manhattan Project moment. The difference? This time, we know exactly what we're building and why. The window is open. But it won't stay that way.

Less than 2% of venture capital goes to women. Two percent. And if you’re a woman of colour, the number gets even smaller. I’ve seen it firsthand. When I started fundraising for indē wild, I walked into rooms where no one looked like me. Where I was questioned more, doubted more, and had to prove myself in ways my male counterparts didn’t. I came prepared with numbers, a solid business, a brand that already had a community behind it, and still, the skepticism was there. And yet, research proves that when women-led businesses get funded, they don’t just succeed. They outperform. According to Boston Consulting Group (BCG), women-founded companies generate more than twice as much revenue per dollar invested as those led by men. Forbes research shows that startups backed by First Round Capital performed 63% better when they had a female founder. Women-led businesses have also proven to be more resilient during economic downturns and foster higher employee engagement. Women aren’t lacking ideas or drive or results. We’re lacking access. That’s the part that needs to change. Funding shouldn’t be about who looks the part or who fits a certain mold, it should be about vision, strategy, and impact. Women don’t need more confidence. We need capital. And it’s time for investors to realize that betting on women isn’t just the right thing to do…it’s the smart thing to do. If you've been through this, I see you. If you're in a position to change this, I hope you do. #womeninbusiness #vc

20% of UK businesses are founded by women - > 2% get funding. If I were a female founder raising investment in 2026, this is exactly what I would do. 1. Register for SEIS and EIS immediately. These schemes let angel investors reclaim a chunk of their investment through tax relief, and for many angels, it’s the difference between a yes and a no. 2. Use LinkedIn properly. Most angel investors literally list their investments on their profiles. Search “investor”. Filter by industry, location, relevance. Start building relationships before you need the money. This is not networking. This is research. 3. Build your pitch deck around outcomes, not your passion. This is where most founders lose investors. They talk about how much they love the idea and forget to explain: – What problem it solves – Who pays for it – What the return looks like Lead with the outcome. Always. 4. DM people who’ve already done it. Raising investment isn’t some secret club. If someone’s raised before, you can find it on platforms like Crunchbase. Message them. Ask for advice. Build rapport. Then ask for introductions to their angels. That’s how doors open. Raising investment isn’t the only way to build a business. But if you’re a woman building something that does need capital, the system isn’t exactly designed to make it easy. So make it easier for yourself. Practical beats perfect. Relationships beat cold pitches. And visibility will ALWAYS beat waiting to be “ready”. Was this helpful? 💜 If we haven't met before, hi - my name's Amelia. I built a $4million revenue business off the back of my personal brand, now I post content about how you can do it, too. I've just dropped 52 videos detailing everything I did to get from 0 - 250k followers and $0- $4mil in revenue off LinkedIn alone. You can grab them here: https://lnkd.in/eauwCzGb

Thinking of entering defence? Good. But read this first, or get crushed. You’re not building a startup. You’re entering a war zone with Excel sheets instead of bullets. And here’s the first landmine: Defence doesn’t care about you. Not until you matter. And by the time you matter, it might be too late. So here’s your brutal, field-tested playbook 👇 🔻 1. Run a Dual-Use Strategy or Die Trying Don’t “pivot into defence.” Don’t “add military as a target customer.” Build something with teeth in both markets — or you’ll starve while waiting 24 months for a MoD reply. Dual-use = survival. Omni-use = dominance. 🔻 2. Your Actual Competitor? Paper. You're not fighting primes. You're fighting outdated workflows, 94-page requirement PDFs, and evaluation committees who’ve never used the tech. You’re not selling innovation. You’re selling the idea that innovation should exist. 🔻 3. Never Ask for Feedback — Ask for Budget Lines Everyone will “love” what you’re doing. They’ll invite you to panels, workshops, incubators. None of that pays your team. Ask: “Which budget pays for this in Q4?” If they can’t answer, walk. 🔻 4. Find a Uniformed Insider, or You’re Screwed No matter how good your pitch is, you need a believer inside the system. Someone who speaks procurement and can say, “This solves my mission.” Without that: enjoy limbo. 🔻 5. If You’re Not Testable, You’re Not Real Defence doesn’t buy PowerPoints. You need a testable MVP fast. No test = no traction. No traction = no procurement route. No route = you're just theatre. 🔻 6. The First Deal Will Break You It’s slow. It’s painful. It’ll take months, maybe years. But once you break the wall once, you become “pre-approved.” Then the real business begins. 🔻 7. Ignore All of This If You're Building Slideware This advice is only for builders. For founders ready to live in uncertainty, raise from niche VCs, and get 50 no’s before one test flight. If you're not all-in: stay in SaaS. This is the most misunderstood opportunity of our time. Europe is waking up. The U.S. is doubling down. And the next industrial revolution will wear camouflage. Startups who learn the terrain will dominate. Speed. Testability. Dual-use. Insider access. That’s your survival kit. Use it. #DefenceStartups #DualUse #InnovationInDefence #OmniUse #MilitaryTech #InsiderIntel #BoldMovesOnly #WakeUpEurope