[CelexaNY]

I was offering some advice over at the flying solo forums earlier today and it made me think that the way other learn is from other peoples or their own mistakes.

For example, if you stopped trying to ride a bike as soon as you fell off, you would never learn to ride that bike.. business is the same.

So, lets offer some advice to others that we have learnt along the way, and hopefully help others not repeat the same mistake.

As per the advice I gave the chap who wanted to start his t-shirt business, my advice is to not over capitalise without understanding your market.

Ask yourself these questions;

- Would the market you target buy your product over your competitors, why? what is so good an unique about your product? what is your USP (unique selling point)?
- Have you researched your market and asked them if they would buy your product, rather than just a hunch? And I don't mean ask friends of family, ask strangers, potential purchasers, shops that sell your idea/product targeted to your market..

The key to a successful startup is understanding your market, what they want, how they want to get it, and how they want to pay for it. - and then give them just that!