I believe this list can be brought down to just two basic (not just one):
- Customers: Understand them, improve their lives, get them to pay regularly, get them to spread the word
- Costs: Keep them as near to zero as possible. That will enable you to be profitable even with minimum number of customers
During the first year of your startup don;t worry about anything other than the above two. Special warning: Dont spend anytime on external fund raising, fund raising is the most distracting thing for startups and something where you have least control and very low odds, unless you accomplish something "of value".
If you can get thru the first year with a complete focus on Customers & Costs and hit break even by the end of first year. I can guarantee that you on the way to build a successful company (not just a good startup)
- Customers: Understand them, improve their lives, get them to pay regularly, get them to spread the word - Costs: Keep them as near to zero as possible. That will enable you to be profitable even with minimum number of customers
During the first year of your startup don;t worry about anything other than the above two. Special warning: Dont spend anytime on external fund raising, fund raising is the most distracting thing for startups and something where you have least control and very low odds, unless you accomplish something "of value".
If you can get thru the first year with a complete focus on Customers & Costs and hit break even by the end of first year. I can guarantee that you on the way to build a successful company (not just a good startup)