It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Flow Club, an online work community which creates an environment for focus and productivity. Since I’m a curious person (which I argue is a trait all entrepreneurs have in common), I found myself wondering about its origin story. And that led me to connect with one of its co-founders, Ricky Yean. Ricky is a successful 3X start up entrepreneur. I’m grateful he took the time to answer my many questions so I can share these business startup tips.
1. Don’t do it alone.
First, expect to work with someone. Though solo CEOs are widely celebrated in our culture, the reality is that big businesses are rarely created alone. It takes a team. After all, Jeff Bezos built Amazon with the help and support of his wife. Brian Cheskey developed Airbnb alongside 2 friends. And Ricky Yean worked with David Tran to create 2 other successful ventures before starting in 2021.
Trust is important, and so is sharing a vision for what you are creating. As Ricky shares, “the startup journey is an intense one, and having a partner who I value and trust immensely enables me to bring my best self to work every day.”
So the top of this list of business startup tips is to work with someone who is engaged, committed, and ready to put in the hard work required to achieve success. Doing it alone is more likely to lead to burnout and failure.
2. Work with your strengths and weaknesses
Second, know yourself. In what areas are you most effective? And what are your limitations? As Ricky explains, “David and I both pride ourselves on being self-aware regarding our strengths and weaknesses, and we also pay attention to which aspects of company-building we “love” vs. which we “tolerate”. We use this awareness to divide responsibilities so that wherever possible we are both working on exciting activities that reflect our strengths. This helps us maintain our energy on this journey together.”
The tip here is to let go of ego. And don’t let pride get in the way of what the company needs. Structure tasks and responsibilities to work with your strengths and weaknesses.
3. Be willing to adapt
Sure, you start out with a specific idea which has you fired up and excited. But one of the most powerful business startup tips is to be willing to adapt. Be open to letting the company evolve and change.
Why?
Because continuous innovation in response to performance metrics is effective for creating a successful business. This approach is best described in The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, which is an excellent book for all startup entrepreneurs.
And there is a long history of entrepreneurs hitting it big only after making changes to their original concept. After all, Wrigley didn’t begin his business selling gum, and Airbnb never intended to rent out empty homes. For more about these and other famous pivots in business, read this article.
When I asked Ricky how FlowClub has evolved since launching, he shared that “so much has changed, but perhaps the most pronounced has been the emergence of Flow Club as a solution for folks who experience ADHD.
He went on to say that “it has been incredibly rewarding seeing this meaningful portion of our membership find a community of like-minded peers, find greater confidence, and grow a deeper belief in what they are capable of achieving.”
Personally, this is one of the things I appreciate most about Flow Club. It is a zero-judgement space and a supportive community that embraces individuality.
Final Business Startup Tips from Ricky Yean
Last, I asked Ricky to share his advice for entrepreneurs who are just starting out. So here in his own words are these final business startup tips:
1. Enjoy the journey
“You will inevitably face highs and lows, but if you are solving a problem that you and your users both care deeply about, this will help keep you grounded and motivated in the long run.”
2. Leverage the lessons
“Crowdbooster and Upbeat were both B2B solutions, so I’ve tried to carry the most relevant lessons from those experiences” to the journey of building Flow Club.
3. People matter
“The lessons that I think remain relevant across all contexts are the ones that are people-related, like continuing to work with David Tran; hiring a strong team; and maintaining a close relationship to our users.”
To learn more about Ricky and his experiences as a start-up founder, visit his site.
And try out Flow Club to gain all the benefits of this online co-working space. It’s really transformational for productivity and accountability. Learn all about body doubling here.
