Some basics on the mindset and thought process behind starting and running your own business. This is by know means a technical document and is merely some key pointers to keep in mind. These are ideas I've seen work time and time again, and I hope they can be useful for you.

1. Be Disruptive
Akash Agarwal akash@agarwalhome.com @akagarw

2. • The term disruptive is thrown around quite
a bit today
• To qualify as disruptive a company doesn’t
just make something great, they change the
way consumers use it
• For example, just saying “we use the cloud”
doesn’t equal disruptive, there needs to be
some key benefit associated with the
switch
Akash Agarwal akash@agarwalhome.com @akagarw

3. Innovate how you Innovate
Akash Agarwal akash@agarwalhome.com @akagarw

4. • Think about what you do to get the best
out of your people
• Many startups struggle in execution
because differing ideas are never addressed
• Keep an eye on the future in your plans,
remember next year’s products start today
Akash Agarwal akash@agarwalhome.com @akagarw

5. Akash Agarwal akash@agarwalhome.com @akagarw

6. • Understand your key benefit to consumers
and OWN it
• Companies die because they over-extend
their focus, start somewhere and slowly
integrate
• Weekly all hands on deck meetings are
important in keeping everyone focused on
primary goals
Akash Agarwal akash@agarwalhome.com @akagarw

7. ENGAGE
Akash Agarwal akash@agarwalhome.com @akagarw

8. • Anything important in the digital media
space has to be engaging
• Even in the health information business,
people have to want to use it
• You’ll find yourself competing for people’s
time against online tools like Twitter,
Pinterest and Facebook etc.
Akash Agarwal akash@agarwalhome.com @akagarw

9. Be Valuable
Akash Agarwal akash@agarwalhome.com @akagarw

10. • There are plenty of other services out there that
do wonderful things for people online, what do
you offer that’s different?
• How do you show users? &
• Why is it better than what they do now?
• Ask yourself the hard questions, often the best
ideas start as round pegs in square holes
Akash Agarwal akash@agarwalhome.com @akagarw

11. Finally...
Akash Agarwal akash@agarwalhome.com @akagarw

12. It’s not about technology, it’s
about solving a problem
Akash Agarwal akash@agarwalhome.com @akagarw