🚀 How to Start Your Business [10 Action Steps]

#06 The Monthly Startup Club Edge

January 10, 2025

Happy New Year! 🎉 Welcome back to the monthly Start Up Club Edge Newsletter and our first official issue of 2025. Join the 1 million+ entrepreneurs in this community!👇

IN THIS WEEK’S NEWSLETTER:

  • 📅 Today’s LIVE Clubhouse Episode

  • 🚀 How to Start Your Business [10 Action Steps]

  •  đŸ“š The 25 Must-Read Books for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

  • đŸ”„ AI Tip of the Month

  • 🔍 Time to Sell Index [TTSI]

Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes 39 seconds

Listen to this newsletter’s deep dive đŸ‘‡

đŸ”„ TODAY’S CLUBHOUSE

  • How can entrepreneurs prepare for a successful exit while maintaining growth?

  • Key steps in transitioning from a lean startup to a thriving, established company

  • Essential Strategies for Building a Scalable Business

🚀 How to Start Your Business [10 Steps to Take Action Today]

When I first started my business right out of college in 1993, almost everyone around me told me that I was making a mistake.

They said I should become a lawyer or accountant and make more money.

Instead, I started by selling vegetables at markets until I was able to save enough money to launch a retail store for software.

Sometimes in life, taking the easier path is not the better path.

I knew deep down that I wanted to run my own business.

Was it slow at first?

Absolutely.

I spent days on end hoeing on the family farm, wearing a Sony Walkman, and earning the first dividend of my career—blistering, bloody hands.

It was just the beginning, and that is how I thought of it.

Here are 10 tips to get you started on your path to creating wealth through launching a startup:

1. Get Over Your Fear and Make the Leap

Fear of failure is natural, but remember, every entrepreneur faces it. If you fail, it’s a learning lesson. If you succeed, you’re well on your way to creating wealth. Doing nothing will eventually create a sense of loss. It’s time to take the jump.

2. Ideas Are Everywhere

Your million-dollar idea might be hiding in plain sight. Pay attention to problems people face daily. If you’re struggling to find anything, get a job in an industry you love. Ideas are everywhere when you’re in the thick of it. If you experience an issue, chances are others are experiencing it too.

3. Vet Your Idea with Everyone Except the Yeah-Sayers and Nay-Sayers

You need real feedback—not just head nods or criticism. Talk to unbiased friends, industry experts, and even skeptics. They’ll help you refine your plan and avoid costly missteps. Seeking advice is a sign of strength, not weakness. You’d be surprised how many people in your network want to see you succeed.

4. Define Your Why – Your Purpose

What drives you? Is it freedom, impact, or financial success? Understanding your “why” will keep you going when times get tough. Business is tough—it’s a roller coaster of highs and lows. To get through the tough times, you need to focus on something you love. For me, it’s pets, which is why I invested in Paw.com. We create products for pet parents and their pooches. Trust me, it’s been a wild ride.

5. Take Action – Don’t Wait for Someone Else to Beat You to It

Ideas are great, but execution wins the race. Too many entrepreneurs sit on their ideas, only to see someone else launch them. Build your prototype or minimum viable product (MVP) now. Even if you don’t plan to launch for a year, take the first step today.

Names and visuals matter! For example, Tiff’s Treats nailed it with cookiedelivery.com.

If you have a budget, you can get a good name for under $2,000. Choose a name that reflects your brand and secure the domain immediately. Don’t overthink it. Use platforms like 99designs or Fiverr to create a logo and get moving.

Once, my family brainstormed a name for a beach house on the way home from an inspection. We bought the domain and had the logo made before even finalizing the deal. The name? SunsetEscape.club â€” reflecting the stunning Gulf of Mexico sunsets.

7. Set Up a Stage Gate – Pivot or Kill It at the Right Time

Think of a stage gate as a checkpoint. Set specific goals, like breaking even within six months or launching an MVP in three months. Be prepared to pivot or stop if you miss the mark. Sometimes the best decision is to kill a losing concept rather than dragging it out for years.

8. Create a 4-Sticky-Note Business Plan

Forget 50-page plans. Focus on a concise, actionable, and adaptable four-sticky-note plan.

Why sticky notes? They force you to be succinct and stick to the point. This method is detailed in Chapter 15 of Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. It emphasizes practicality, particularly for startups.

9. Join an Incubator

Incubators offer mentorship, funding, and networking. They help you test ideas, refine processes, and make valuable connections for customers and funding. Surrounding yourself with other entrepreneurs accelerates learning and helps you avoid beginner mistakes. It takes a village to raise a startup.

10. Use AI to Get the Business Off the Ground

AI tools like ChatGPT can help draft business plans, generate marketing content, and analyze data quickly.

There’s an “AI for that” for almost every business need. Think like Tony Stark with his Iron Man suit—time to strap on that AI suit and launch your startup.

BONUS: Learn Everything You Can about Startups

Entrepreneurship is a trade like any other, and you need to master it. Check out the top books for founders to read in 2025, which we’ve compiled for you in the next section of this newsletter👇

Starting a business doesn’t have to feel overwhelming.

Follow these steps, stay focused, and most importantly—take action today!

— Colin C. Campbell

Disclaimer: Startup Club and its AI resources are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified lawyer for legal matters.

🚀 Best 25 Must-Read Books for Aspiring Entrepreneurs in 2025

What is your must-read book?

Reply to this email and let me know!

đŸ”„ CHECK ME OUT ON TIKTOK!

@startupclubhq

Delegation isn’t about offloading tasks; it’s about empowering others with responsibility. As entrepreneurs, we grow by focusing on the bi... See more

Sora by OpenAI creates AI-powered videos that bring your ideas to life, from explainer videos to promotional content, all tailored to your brand. It also offers tools for content creation, streamlining workflows, and data-driven insights.

Perfect for entrepreneurs looking to scale marketing efforts, boost engagement, and save time.

DISCLAIMER: Startup Club and it’s AI resources are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. They are not a substitute for the expertise of a qualified lawyer. 

📅 THIS MONTH’S CLUBHOUSE SCHEDULE!

đŸ”„ Serial Entrepreneurs: Secrets Revealed:

  • What do VCs look for in startups seeking funding?

  • How can founders build lasting investor relationships?

  • How does market timing influence venture capital success?

  • How can CEOs balance short-term goals with long-term vision?

  • Tips for building a culture of accountability and execution

  • Effectively measuring and sustaining organizational growth

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🚀 SUPPORTING STARTUP.CLUB

Thank you for reading along for another issue of the StartUp Club newsletter! I hope you genuinely look forward to opening the StartUp.Club newsletter every month. You can further support StartUp.Club by:

  1. Sharing it with a friend or fellow entrepreneur!

  2. Responding to this email and letting me know what you think. We love feedback around here! What do you want to see more of? What are you not interested in?

  3. Picking up your copy of Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat.

And if you made it this far, thank you for reading.

I hope you enjoyed this edition of the StartUp.Club Newsletter.

— Colin C. Campbell

P.S. Here is the Time to Sell Index [TTSI]

Now is NOT the time to sell.

Focus on buying or building.