Sixty8 Capital’s Post

"The Expensive Lesson I Learned About Hiring Too Early" When I started WeBuidl, the excitement of making good revenue early on made me think I was ready to scale fast. I began hiring people for tasks like managing social media, content creation, and admin work—things I could’ve easily done myself. It felt like the right move, but it wasn’t. I learned the hard way when we ran out of cash. That’s when my mentor told me, “Many founders make this mistake—hiring too soon, spending on tasks they could handle, and realising it only when it’s too late.” Now I understand: as founders, we should do everything we can by ourselves—even the smallest tasks—until we’re truly maxed out. Not only does it save money, but it also keeps us grounded and close to the heart of our business. Every penny counts when you’re building. Before you hire, ask yourself: - Can’t I handle this myself? - Is it worth the cost right now? - The ROI ? Sometimes, the best investment you can make is in yourself, learning and doing. #FounderMistakes #StartupLessons #CashFlowManagement #Entrepreneurship #ThursdayThoughts

😃 Enthusiasm does not translate to dollars spent 🤑 You told people about your new business idea. They responded with a ton of excitement. Some even gave you ideas for features. Others said they want to hear more. Few said, keep me posted. You thought: I've got an idea with legs here. You quit your job. Pulled out savings. You built out the product... but they did not come. 😱 The waitlist or LOIs don't convert to sales. Follow-up emails get no responses. There is still enthusiasm. If only it did X. Or, maybe it is the wrong channel. You try new campaign ideas. You hire an ads expert. $ and time spent. Barely anything. You are 💔 Is this a horrible business idea? No, you've fallen into a common startup trap. 👇 On average, people are good. We don't like confrontation. We don't like giving criticism. We like new ideas. We want to support other people's dreams. So, we...well...lie a little. This happens all. the. time. And, it is not your fault. 🤩 Just getting started with research? The Mom Test is a painfully hilarious, quick read on how to conduct customer interviews to get honest responses and turn them into sales. 🌟 But, what if you've already built it, and they did not come? I got you. Consider WHY you are not seeing conversions. There are 5 most common go-to-market mistakes tech startups make. Assess which of these might be the root cause for your startup. Snag it in comments 👇 👇 👇 (free, no email req'd)! Then, design go-to-market micro-tests that help you solve for it and get more Happy Paying Customers™ 🚀 What's the most important early lesson you learnt after launching your business?

Easiest way for a startup to get investors. Show them the profit. But it isn't that easy. A software can be your biggest asset. If it generates revenue while you sleep. This is the ideal dream for every startup and boon for the investors. We have gone digital, but are methods to make profit are still the same. We acquire, and acquire and acquire new customers every day. And in 2025 and beyond, making profit won't just be a sales function. Softwares can ONLY be profitable, if you have solid retention plan. Think why do you continuously use a software? Just utility? NO. The science behind retention is so strong and effective. It can turn a loss making software into a practical profitable solution. The only catch is - the idea should be good and useful. If you are struggling to make your software profitable in an automated trackable fashion. You should check this out right now - The Software MBA, for founders. - https://lnkd.in/gms3dc_D And consider following Rohan Girdhani (The TechDoc) to get more clarity and depth into the tech one step at a time.

If a startup founder flies business class I write them off totally. It tells me that have no idea what they are doing and are unfit to run a startup. Other spending that would be so big as a red flag that would never invest in them: - recruiters - consultants - a salary that is more than 50% of their last corporate salary (30% if they were in finance) - PR company - Any marketing or advertising agency - a huge corporate party - too much merch (although I found out this is very cheap these days. If you are good you don’t need to spend on any of these things. If you are weak you do.

Generally agree, with the exception of the salary piece. It depends on the stage of life and stage of startup. If raised less than $1m, then yes, founders should be paid less than 50% of last corporate salary. If the company has raised more than that, then the amount funding is significant enough that founder needs to not be worrying about personal finances and be fully focused on making sure the raised funding makes results and is not wasted. You don’t want a founder distracted by personal finance issues so much that they can’t focus on work - but it should still be at least 30% less than their last corporate salary or fair market value. For reference, pre $1m raise, Shaun and I were both taking about $3k-$4k a month (I was on this rate for 2 years. Shaun for about a year). Then post $1m raise, we took an $80k salary. We were both making well over $100k before starting Ruck. Shaun has 3 children and house payments. I have student debts from undergrad and law school. Single income households. Both our spouses don’t work, though Ashley did have her PhD stipend. On a more cynical side of things, you want a founder to be taken care of enough so they aren't incentivized to get creative with their company's accounting.

Building an MVP is just the first step. What comes next can make or break your startup. Here are 4 mistakes founders often make after the MVP phase 👇🏻 1. Ignoring Customer Feedback Your MVP is live, but are you listening? Founders often overlook feedback, thinking their vision is enough. 📊 Fact: 42% of startups fail because they don’t address real customer needs. 2. Scaling Too Fast Excited to grow? Be careful. Scaling prematurely can drain resources and break your product. 🔍 Research: Startups that scale properly grow 20 times faster than those that rush. 3. Not Validating the Business Model A great MVP doesn’t guarantee a sustainable business. Founders often fail to test pricing, costs, or profitability. 💡 Tip: Keep testing your revenue model as you iterate. 4. Neglecting Marketing and Sales You built it, but are they coming? Founders often rely on word-of-mouth and forget to invest in marketing. 🎯 Story: A SaaS startup I consulted thought product quality alone would drive growth. They were wrong and had to hire a sales team 6 months later. 6. Failing to Build the Right Team After an MVP, the focus often shifts to growth, but founders sometimes delay hiring key talent. 👥 Result: Startups with strong early teams are 2x more likely to succeed in the first 5 years. What’s the biggest post-MVP mistake you’ve seen? Let’s discuss how to avoid them! PS: If you’re making any of these mistakes, it’s not too late to fix them. 🔗 DM "SaaS

💼 Make Everyday Essentials Your Business Opportunity! 🌍💧 Imagine a business built around products people can’t live without—essential items they use daily, wherever they go. By offering these portable solutions, you create value and meet a consistent demand, generating a reliable recurring income. 🛍️💸 With a subscription model, customers get what they need regularly, and you enjoy consistent revenue. Whether you’re seeking a side hustle or looking to build a full-time career, this model is designed for growth and flexibility with minimal startup costs. 🚀💼 Why this business model stands out: • 🔄 Recurring income with subscription sales • 💼 Low initial investment for easy entry • 🌟 Products that fit daily routines • ⏳ Work on your own terms, part-time or full-time • 🌍 Reach customers globally and scale as you grow Ready to turn everyday essentials into a successful business? Let’s connect and chat! 🤝✨ #EverydayProducts #SubscriptionIncome #BusinessOpportunity #LowStartup #FlexibleWork #ScalableBusiness #GlobalReach #SideHustle #RecurringRevenue #EntrepreneurMindset

💡 Many founders make a common mistake that wastes years of time, effort, and money… They assume a problem exists, propose a solution, and dive straight into building an MVP. The issue is that this approach skips critical steps. It assumes: 1. The problem is real. 2. People will pay to solve it. 3. Your solution is the one they’ll pay for. A more thoughtful approach is the Riskiest Assumption Testing (RAT) strategy. Before committing to building anything, identify your riskiest assumptions and systematically validate them. Let’s take a two-sided marketplace—a notoriously challenging business model—as an example. Some risky assumptions might include: Supply side: Can you attract enough suppliers to provide inventory? Demand side: Can you drive enough buyers to your platform? Market size: Is the market big enough to generate transaction fees that justify your effort and investment? When I meet early-stage founders, one of my first questions is: “What are the riskiest assumptions about your business?” Your ability to methodically identify and de-risk these assumptions will determine how efficiently you can build a startup that works.

If you want to take your speaking business to the next level, start thinking of it like a hyper-growth startup. Here’s what that means: Hyper-growth startups are constantly asking: • What’s my return on ad spend? • What’s my cost of acquiring a customer? • What’s my forecast for the next 2, 3, or even 5 years? They’re focused on adding new revenue streams and optimizing old ones, tracking KPIs, and making thoughtful decisions based on data. They know how they’re performing today, and they understand the trends from the past year or even the last decade. Why? Because seeing these trends and having those insights de-risks the pursuit. Without data, you’re left running on gut instinct—and that’s most often the riskiest bet of all. So here’s the challenge: Start treating your speaking business like a hyper-growth startup. Track the metrics, study the trends, and use data to make every step forward. When you know the numbers, you know the path to growth.

As a start-up founder you’re swamped with multiple responsibilities. Somehow it feels, being into the D2C ecosystem comes with bigger risks. To remain in the race, I believe there are a few non-negitiables, a new founder should always prioritize- ➡️ Defining Your Mission More than identifying a problem, you need to articulate a clear mission that serves as your startup's foundation. Only you as the founder can turn that abstract vision into a concrete roadmap. ➡️ Cash Flow Management Running out of money is the death knell for any startup. Carefully monitor your cash flows, experiment with small budgets first, and cut unnecessary expenses to extend your runway. ➡️ Building the Right Team Every hire shapes your culture and progress. Prioritize passion for the mission over credentials. Don't outsource interviews - use them to evaluate candidates while they evaluate you. Trust those you bring onboard. ➡️ Repeat yourself No one will care about your mission as deeply as you do, not even employees. Constantly repeat and reinforce the mission, vision, values and strategy to keep everyone aligned. ➡️ Accountability A startup is a high-performance team, not a family. Set clear performance standards from day one and be consistent in upholding them across all levels, including yourself. Be prepared to make tough personnel decisions. When you balance these key areas from the outset, they will maximize your probability of transforming your vision into an enduring company. Thoughts? #Entrepreneurship #D2CChallenges #BusinessStrategy