Spoiled Startup

For me, the word 'startup' has started to lose its meaning. People have forgotten how startups usually start: in a garage, from a brilliant idea or two passionate people, with no big capital at all. Not a story about instant success, but about a group of creative people who do everything to achieve their dreams.

But their hard work and dedication seems raw in the hands of the media, not worth the news big funding, massive acquisition, instant success story or failure story. This then gave birth to a new startup group: spoiled startups.

Spoiled startups are a group of startups with the point of view that they set up startups to make double profits, or as a way out of their miserable careers. The startup world is indeed becoming a prima donna, and history proves that they are the only ones who are Ready who will benefit.

These spoiled startups will not want to start their business without a large capital without the right business model. They regard investors as a business model without finishing anything. They spend more time attending conferences and meetings than building their own brand.

Have you realized that these startups are actually all around you? I've already. You might laugh at it once or twice, but if it's more than that, it's time to worry. believe me, I'm not the only one who feels disappointed.

What we can do?

If you feel that you are one of the spoiled startups, congratulations on realizing it. I suggest that you follow these steps to change your perspective as soon as possible:

1. Conference is just a waste of your time, start concentrating on the product
2. Funding is not everything, not something fundamental to starting your business
3. Stop marketing. Introduce your product and make people like it. Don't have a good product yet? Look again at point number (1)
4. Create a realistic business model from the start. A non-profit business is not a business, but a hobby.
5. Business means hard work, never hope for instant success
6. If your orientation is money, don't jump into the startup world. Apply to foreign or oil companies.

If you are a VC, Angel investor or others:

1. Tell them the truth, it hurts but they will learn.

In the end, I think startup is an exaggerated word. So, start a business, not a startup*.

*Reference from rework.

- This article was published in 2012 in Aria Rajasa's personal blog and republished with permission of the author.

Aria Rajasa is the CEO of Indonesian Tees. His passion for entrepreneurship has helped him set up several technology and design companies since graduating from college.