Starting from scratch

[2304ld]

Hello, I am a freshman B Tech student in one of the top IITs of the country.
I am really interested in entrepreneurship and startups in general, and I really want to explore this domain in the future. But I think I need to first develop some basic knowledge and skillset.

So my question is how to learn startup and business from scratch? Basic terms, case studies, how is a startup built, what to be done to create one's own startup everything.
Any course on coursera, any good book, any YouTube channel etc. And I would really want to connect with aspiring as well as seasoned entrepreneurs. Thank you.

 

[dharshini]

@2304ld I started straight after college. No experience. No business background.

World is a great real-life course.

Here is what you can follow to satisfy your itch
1. Find a problem people face around you
2. Find a basic solution
3. Offer to help them (keep learning the dynamics as main goal)
4. Help them and get feedback
5. Improve your solution and maintain healthy (not too friendly) relationship with initial customers (they will refer you to other people)
6. Understand end to end supply demand after 10-20 happy customers (who actually paid)
7. Start investing in marketing and grow.

 

[m_louise_2911]

@2304ld Books:

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

Zero to One by Peter Thiel

The Startup Owner's Manual by Steve Blank and Bob Dorf

Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore

Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares

YouTube Channels:

Startup Grind

Y Combinator

TechCrunch

Forbes

Entrepreneur

GaryVee

 

[brandnewbie]

@2304ld Develop a taste in podcasts, yt videos and books.
Follow the right people on twitter.
Learn about investing and venture capitalism.
Read essays by Paul Graham, Andreesen, Naval, etc.
Since you’re in the fy, learn as much coding as you can. Join e-cells.
You have the mindset plus you’re in IIT. You’re already doing great. Good luck!

 

[katiem]

@2304ld -For starters, I'd recommend going through this: Startup School

It'll help you get well versed with all the basic terms and concepts that you're looking for.

-Another free resource is Y Combinator's Y-Tube Channel: Y Combinator's YouTube

Binge watch it, watch it while you're having food, on your way to places.

-Once you feel you sort of know some things, I'd recommend trying to build your own business model. You'll fail multiple times because at it because initially you'll fail to realise factors besides the main idea (not trying to target you, happens with everybody ). Over time, your thought process will keep getting more & more complex.

To get started, you can try filling in this business model: St Galler Navigator

-Since you just entered college, I'd recommend you do an internship maybe to learn how things work in the real world in your particular domain or field. Starting by yourself, you can at times waste resources reinventing the wheel.

All the best! Keep us posted!

 

[613jono]

@2304ld Learning about startups and business from scratch is best achieved through a combination of practical experience and formal knowledge integration. For those deeply passionate about startups, a highly effective approach involves immersing oneself in the field by joining early-stage startups (Pre-Series A). Taking on roles in Operations or Growth within such startups allows individuals to gain hands-on experience and understand the intricacies of building a business.

Drawing from personal experience, having spent three years in the startup ecosystem—two years in a US fintech Unicorn startup and 1.3 years in a Seed Series startup on the path to Product-Market Fit (PMF)—I have honed the skills necessary to initiate my ventures. This expertise did not materialize overnight; rather, it was cultivated by observing and comprehending the decisions made by founders. Subsequently, I delved into acquiring skills like User Research, Product Management, and Product Design, which proved instrumental in understanding the inner workings of tech startups.

The key advice is to become part of an early-stage startup, where the demands are diverse, and acquiring new and relevant skills is crucial. Applying these learned skills in a practical setting accelerates one's growth. Having been through this journey, I can attest that there is no substitute for firsthand experience in understanding the nuances of startup dynamics.

Given your background at IIT, consider leveraging your network by reaching out to seniors for opportunities in founder office roles. This exposure provides invaluable insights into the challenges faced by founders and their teams, offering a unique learning experience that goes beyond what traditional education or books can provide.

Rest if you need book :

1) Hooked

2) Mom Test

3) Lean Startups

4) Billion Dollar startup ( flipkart story )

5) Zero to One

Podcast :

WTF nikhil kamath ( hes talking good stuff)

Kunal Shah

Ken Podcast ( CTC & First Principles)

Y combinator

Any podcast where you see an Indian startup talking about how they build their business

Feel free to reach out if you'd like to discuss anything related to startups!

answer rephrased using Chat GPT