The Entrepreneurial Survival Plan: Market Fit, Planning, and Perseverance

As any seasoned entrepreneur will tell you, starting and running a business is challenging. In fact, almost 90% of new startups fail—10% of those fail within the first year. The causes range from poor product-market fit to ineffective marketing, talent issues, and cash flow problems. Even with a real challenge to solve and the desire and grit to try, entrepreneurs need more to survive and thrive.

Entrepreneurs require proper preparation and support, along with clarity about the market and their customers, and a solid business plan. Continuous learning and seeking advice from mentors can provide valuable insights and help make better decisions. With the right steps and support, entrepreneurs can increase their chances of success.

In this episode, serial entrepreneur Jan Heybroek joins host Rachelle Kuramoto to share what he wished he had known early in his entrepreneurial journey. He explains why conviction in a market opportunity is a good starting point, how to confirm product market fit, why thinking ahead is a critical skill, and why perseverance is a core quality for any founder.

Tune in!

What You Will Learn:

• [00:01] Intro and what is in for you in today’s show with Jan Heybroek
• [01:53] Jan’s background as a founder
• [05:32] Knowing when to unleash your entrepreneurship potential
• [08:32] Why conviction in a market opportunity is a good starting point for entrepreneurship
• [12:15] Tips for an effective pivot decision-making process for founders
• [15:21] How to gauge the value of the advice you get when making business decisions
• [21:41] Having a long-term vision guided by the short-term realities
• [27:35] Why thinking ahead is a critical skill in entrepreneurship
• [30:51] How Jan’s future horizon looks like
• [33:31] Best ways to connect with Jan and the end of the show

Standout Quotes:

• “Entrepreneurship is something that many people aspire to. Quite a few try it and there’s a lot of failure.”- [01:58]
• “All entrepreneurs have an incredible drive and pursuit or typically want to address a problem they have faced.” [05:42]
• “There needs to be a market opportunity for any entrepreneurial venture. Otherwise, you can never be successful. One way to unlock that is by talking to many people.” [09:09]
• “Entrepreneurs need to have the short-term ability to see what is in front of them that can affect their long-term business vision.” [21:43]

Let’s Connect

Rachelle Kuramoto

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachellekuramoto-atlanta/

 

Jan Heybroek

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janheybroek

BIP Ventures

Website: www.bipventures.vc

LinkedIn Podcast: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/extraordinary-pursuits-podcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/bipventures/

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/bipventures

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