Thought of the Day #40 - How to tell, very early on, if a startup is likely to work or not?

There are a lot of people talking about startups but only a few that can really do it.

And one can readily tell if they can do a satisfactory implementation.

The Rule

Are their people already operating at or above that level that the implementation requires?

In other words, how close are you from your intended goal?

Analysis

The people most likely to achieve their goal are those who are already operating at a level beyond that of the level. Of course, these people would probably be doing something else, so it is logical to get them to help, or find someone at the level required.

Example

If you are going to develop software, you want teams that have skilled people who have done almost the exact same thing, and are at the frontier of technology - using the most suitable tools.

Exceptions

On the other hand, many very talented people have tried and failed too. 

So this is not the only factor. 

This is all pretty self-evident "common sense".
But common sense in new contexts are often not common.




Continued on Thought of the Day #41.