Malika Cantor’s Post

🚀 Starting a company? It all begins with the idea. At Afore, we know that the journey from idea to product is anything but easy. One of the most critical steps is getting feedback early — before you’ve even built your MVP. It’s this feedback that shapes, sharpens, and strengthens your idea. That’s why we’re testing out a new idea of our own: Afore’s Rapid-Fire Idea Pitch Session — designed for early-stage founders, builders, and tinkerers. You’ll get 10 minutes to pitch your idea to the Afore team and receive actionable insights that can help you take your next step. 💡 If you’re tinkering on an idea and looking for guidance on how to move forward, this is for you. Apply now, get feedback, and start building the future. Apply here 👉 https://lu.ma/3bt43xi5

🚀💡 Are you a founder looking to validate your idea and build a successful business? Our latest blog post reveals the secret to making it happen! 💡💻 Discover why Proof of Concept (POC) is the most important thing ever for founders, and how it can help you reduce risk, save time and money, gather feedback, and attract investors. 💰📈 We also showcase how Start Spark can help you achieve POC and build a successful business. 🚀💻 Read the full post here :)

In 2025, if you get that: → Execution > overthinking → Customer feedback > assumptions → Iterating quickly > chasing perfection → Building relationships > pitching investors You’ll be able to build smarter, faster, and create a startup that solves real problems. ✌️ Founders, what’s the #1 lesson you’re taking into 2025? Let me know in the comments! 👇

Are you a founder looking to validate your idea and build a successful business? Our latest blog post reveals why Proof of Concept (POC) is the most important thing ever for founders. 🚀💡 Learn how POC can help you reduce risk, save time and money, gather feedback, and attract investors. 💰📈 We also highlighted how Start Spark can help you achieve POC and build a successful business. 🚀💻 Read the full post here :)

Finding Product-Market Fit is one of the most game-changing moments in a startup's life. With just a small, focused team, you can create something that resonates so deeply it becomes invaluable. Lesson? You don’t need a massive budget or a huge team to build something extraordinary — just laser-focused execution and a product that truly solves a problem.

Finding Product-Market Fit is one of the most game-changing moments in a startup's life. With just a small, focused team, you can create something that resonates so deeply it becomes invaluable. Lesson? You don’t need a massive budget or a huge team to build something extraordinary — just laser-focused execution and a product that truly solves a problem.

📈 Let's talk about the all-important traction slide in your pitch deck. Why it matters: • Validates your problem and solution • Shows you can execute • Builds investor confidence Things you could include: 1. User growth 2. Revenue (if applicable) 3. Key partnerships 4. Product milestones 5. Customer testimonials Traction isn't just about revenue. For early-stage startups, it could be product development progress, user feedback, or even strategic hires. Don’t copy and paste from Excel! Remember: Traction is a validator for everything else in your pitch. Don't undersell it!

Joseph, these questions are the blueprint for building a sustainable product, and they couldn’t be more relevant to the journey we're on with Gursha Hub. What problem are we solving? In a market of 24.83 million social media users in Ethiopia, creators have limited options to monetize due to restricted access to international payment systems. Gursha Hub fills this gap by enabling creators to earn directly from their audiences. How many people face this problem? Thousands of Ethiopian content creators lack accessible revenue channels. Gursha Hub empowers them to earn through subscriptions, digital sales, crowdfunding, and tipping—all in local currency from their worldwide audience. Are they willing to pay for the solution? The demand speaks for itself. With a model proven by global giants like Patreon generating 3.7 billion $ for their creators, we’re seeing strong local interest, where creators pay nothing upfront and only share a small fee when they succeed in monetizing. Two additional questions we’re set to tackle: How is our solution uniquely tailored? and How do we adapt as our users grow? Joseph Kibur Your advice is gold. 🙏 Grateful to have leaders like you sharing these insights with the next wave of founders!

The 1 Week Minimum Viable Product (MVP): Building a successful startup doesn't require a perfect product on day one. With a one-week MVP, you can validate your ideas faster. Here’s how: 1) Define Your Vision: Clearly outline the problem you're solving. 2) Run an Experiment: Create a minimum version of your product and test it with real users. 3) Gather Feedback: Use customer insights to refine and improve. 4) Iterate: Adapt your MVP based on real-world data and scale accordingly. PS. check out 🔔 for a winning pitch deck the template created by Silicon Valley legend, Peter Thiel https://lnkd.in/ejp-Bhnu

In this article from First Round Capital, our CEO & Co-Founder Kevin Caldwell shares insight on how he reflects on past successes and failures to guide his decision-making. Check it out: https://lnkd.in/g8k_juvX