For first-time entrepreneurs, or those who have hit a roadblock in their business. How to avoid the most common mistakes that startups make, covering: - how to create something people really want - how to find your audience - shortcuts for almost everything you need to start-up - how to get your first customers - how to make money

1. first-time founders
how to avoid the founder traps
or how to save time, money & your sanity

2. founder trap #1

3. Don't be a solution looking for a problem

4. founder fix #1
Meaningful insights
Customers Competitors
Who are they?
What do they want?
Where can you find them?
How much will they pay?
What are they doing?
What should you copy?
Who can you take?
What are they charging?

5. You NEED to find your niche
forwardfounders.com

6. founder trap #2
You will overshoot your MVP

7. founder fix #2
balsamiq.com invisionapp.com axure.com
Simple prototyping
upwork.com

8. Testable Usable Lovable
3 stages of product development
launch here
forwardfounders.com

9. founder trap #3
You will spend way too much
time and money on design

10. forwardfounders.com

11. founder fix #3
Templates for everything
Domain name - leandomainsearch.com
Graphic design - canva.com
Stock images - pexels.com, pixabay.com
Video clips - dissolve.com, pond5.com
Website templates - themeforest.com
Icons / vectors - freepik.com

12. founder trap #4
SEO is not your friend

13. founder fix #4
Customers not traffic
What can you do IRL?
Pick one channel and rinse it
- use Audiense + bots (e.g. Pushgram)
- target your competitors' followers
- automate scheduling (Buffer)
- speak to people or at people
- get referrals

14. read this
watch this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=iJjjJORPtMY
http://okdork.com/how-you-can-create-
content-that-generates-40000-targeted-
visitors/
forwardfounders.com

15. founder trap #5
If you're not making money,
it's a hobby

16. founder fix #5
Price for value
How much
do I need
to make?
What are my
competitors
charging?
What value
am I
providing?

17. how to find your value
if your business is YOU
http://okdork.com/how_to_not_feel_guilty_
for_charging_what_you_are_worth/
http://www.priceintelligently.com/blog/bid
/195287/the-value-metric-optimize-your-
pricing-strategy-for-high-growth
forwardfounders.com

18. WE
MADE IT!
caroline.hughes@forwardfounders.com @forwardfounders