Making a good first impression, promoting yourself in your community and staying positive help lay the foundation on which successful businesses are built.
Stop chasing viral trends 鈥 choose a durable, validated sub-niche where you understand the customer's pain, the economics work and reliable suppliers exist, because the market will punish guesswork and reward patience.
Growth can mask serious cash-flow risk, and maintaining at least six months of runway creates the discipline and flexibility founders need to make better decisions under pressure.
Most CEOs pursue brand partnerships before they're ready for them. Here's what I learned building collaborations with Reebok, Eddie Bauer and Nautica while running a publicly traded company.