Lessons from My First Startup: What I Wish I Knew Sooner
If you’re building a startup, chances are you’ve already been hit with the reality that nothing goes quite as planned. And that’s okay—because every founder makes mistakes. The goal is to learn from them fast.
Looking back on my first startup journey, there are three key lessons I wish I’d embraced sooner. I’m sharing them here in the hope they save you time, money, and stress.
Looking back on my first startup journey, there are three key lessons I wish I’d embraced sooner. I’m sharing them here in the hope they save you time, money, and stress.
1. Launch Sooner—Even If It’s Not Perfect
One of the biggest mistakes I made was waiting too long to launch. I kept thinking the product needed just one more round of feedback, one more design tweak, one more test.
That decision cost me almost £10,000.
Instead of getting feedback from real users in the market, I burned time and money polishing something that didn’t need polishing. What I’ve learned? Your MVP doesn’t have to be perfect. It has to be usable. And it has to ship.
Takeaway: Launch when it’s 80% there. Let your customers teach you the rest.
That decision cost me almost £10,000.
Instead of getting feedback from real users in the market, I burned time and money polishing something that didn’t need polishing. What I’ve learned? Your MVP doesn’t have to be perfect. It has to be usable. And it has to ship.
Takeaway: Launch when it’s 80% there. Let your customers teach you the rest.
2. Raise More Than You Think You’ll Need
I thought I was being cautious with how much money I raised at first. But cautious quickly turned into constrained. We ended up going back out to raise again—sooner than expected.
The problem? When you’re underfunded, you’re constantly reacting instead of building. You’re focused on making payroll, not strategic decisions. The pressure can make even great ideas feel heavy.
Takeaway: Build a buffer into your raise. What seems like “extra” today will be essential tomorrow.
The problem? When you’re underfunded, you’re constantly reacting instead of building. You’re focused on making payroll, not strategic decisions. The pressure can make even great ideas feel heavy.
Takeaway: Build a buffer into your raise. What seems like “extra” today will be essential tomorrow.
3. Don’t Be Blinded by Corporate CVs
It’s tempting to hire someone with a slick background and big-name experience. I’ve done it. But the reality is, working in a large corporate is wildly different from working in a startup.
Big companies have structure, teams, budgets, processes. Startups have chaos—and a to-do list with everything marked ASAP.
What I’ve learned to look for is initiative. Hustle. A willingness to figure things out without needing a playbook.
Takeaway: Prioritise adaptability over pedigree. A startup environment requires a different kind of grit.
Big companies have structure, teams, budgets, processes. Startups have chaos—and a to-do list with everything marked ASAP.
What I’ve learned to look for is initiative. Hustle. A willingness to figure things out without needing a playbook.
Takeaway: Prioritise adaptability over pedigree. A startup environment requires a different kind of grit.
The Bottomline
Startups are a wild ride—and you’re going to make mistakes. But the best thing you can do is learn fast, pivot confidently, and surround yourself with people who thrive in uncertainty.
I’ve lived through the slow launches, the tight budgets, the hiring mistakes—so you don’t have to.
If this resonated with you and you’re building your own startup right now, I’d love to hear what lessons you’ve learned along the way.
📩 Want more insights like this? Sign up for early access to Nudge and get smarter tools to scale your business with confidence.
I’ve lived through the slow launches, the tight budgets, the hiring mistakes—so you don’t have to.
If this resonated with you and you’re building your own startup right now, I’d love to hear what lessons you’ve learned along the way.
📩 Want more insights like this? Sign up for early access to Nudge and get smarter tools to scale your business with confidence.