In this blog post, we share tips for newcomers to the AI business from the CEO of Everypixel, Dmitry Shironosov. Drawing from years of personal experience in both business and investing, these tips may help you set the right mindset and focus to make your way in the competitive landscape of AI entrepreneurship.
Keep Focus on Your Idea
The idea is the backbone of any startup. It may sound simple — focus on your goals and strive to achieve them. Keep your eyes on the prize.
In practice, however, founders are sometimes pulled in many directions, trying to solve multiple problems with limited resources. They scrutinize success stories, analyze competitors, and ultimately end up doubting their own goals and decisions. Before changing your mind, describe the situation in as much detail as possible and always ask yourself these questions:
- If the project is successful, what would be the impact on my life? On the industry? On the world at large?
- How can I apply someone else’s experience to my own idea?
- Would it really help my project or not?
It’s not just about thinking rationally, it’s also about experiencing it emotionally. The brain takes these insights as the default setting and filters out only those possibilities that will help you get where you want to go.
Focus on Product Development Over Fundraising
Expanding on the previous point.
Everyone dreams of building a unicorn. To do that, they need to get investment. Which in turn requires impressing investors… As a result, instead of building a product (a unicorn!), people put most of their efforts into learning how to pitch, getting into accelerators, and drawing endless amounts of stunning presentations.
But the truth is, you don’t need investment at the stage of launching an MVP and finding your niche. You may need it later to grow and scale. Sad but true. If your product has good traction, investors will fight for you on their own.
Rely on Conversion Metrics Over Everything Else
With so many consultants and experts out there giving advice (including me writing this very post), it can sometimes feel like navigating through white noise. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, especially when recommendations conflict with one another.
While they can often be valuable, think of them more as an alternative perspective or way of thinking. At the end of the day, what matters most is testing your product in real-world scenarios as quickly and efficiently as possible. So trust in conversion metrics above all else. After all, you’re the expert on your own journey.
Find a Supportive Community and Give Back
Two heads are better than one. Find a community of like-minded people. Working with those who share your ideas, values, and beliefs will accelerate your growth. Engage in discussions, debate, seek advice, and share your experiences. Tapping into different perspectives can be very enriching.
Be proactive and altruistic. Practice the “pay it forward” method and offer help before you ask, whether it’s giving advice, sharing feedback, or connecting others with useful contacts.
Embrace Failure as a Path to Success
Mistakes are not only inevitable, they are also essential for growth. Those who face and overcome challenges tend to evolve more steadily than those who experience instant success. Instead of trying to avoid mistakes altogether, embrace them as learning opportunities.
Moreover, to be a successful entrepreneur, you must take risks. You may not succeed on the first try, but the very idea of entrepreneurship is to take full responsibility for every action you take.