MADE Issue 9 | Page 42

MADE MADEXXXX INC LANGSTON E. HILL, FOUNDER AT ADTHRILL 1.EVOLVE No one product makes your business, so don’t be afraid to change things up. Remember your business is not a product offering, it’s a problem solver. The products that you work so hard to create will eventually be modified, upgraded, duplicated and outdated all the time. You remain in business when you dedicate your company towards solving the ever-evolving issues needed in your customers’ industries and world with whatever product is necessary for the time. 2.PACE YOURSELF It’s ok to start lean, and it’s best to start lean. It’s much less painful to modify your message, business, or product at break-even instead of being thousands of dollars in the hole. It’s ok to build your product in iterations, start with a site that has pre-sale orders, or show a client wireframes of products yet to come. 3.BUILD TOGETHER Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to start your business as a solo founder. However, whether through hiring full-time, part-time, mentorship, equity owners, board of directors, or whatever; make sure you have a team of people who cover your weaknesses and are far smarter than you. Find people who far exceed your skill or intellect level, and then constantly give those people assignments and incentives to work with you. Having smart people in your business is absolutely vital, but the format in which those people work with your company is flexible made-magazine.com | 42