10 Rules for web startups From Evan Williams
Pretty wise guy Evan Williams (ex-founder of blogger.com), gives 10 rules for web startups. I think many apply to startups in general. You can find them all here
http://evhead.com/2005/11/ten-rules-for-web-startups.asp
heres just 1 for yah... or you can read them all (if not from Evan's Blog) after the jump
#1: Be Narrow
Focus on the smallest possible problem you could solve that would potentially be useful. Most companies start out trying to do too many things, which makes life difficult and turns you into a me-too. Focusing on a small niche has so many advantages: With much less work, you can be the best at what you do. Small things, like a microscopic world, almost always turn out to be bigger than you think when you zoom in. You can much more easily position and market yourself when more focused. And when it comes to partnering, or being acquired, there's less chance for conflict. This is all so logical and, yet, there's a resistance to focusing. I think it comes from a fear of being trivial. Just remember: If you get to be #1 in your category, but your category is too small, then you can broaden your scope—and you can do so with leverage.