Week 8 - Ascend your Startup

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As I finish up my material review of Ascend your Startup, I’m reminded that this entire guidebook is simply an outline of the first 100 meters or so of a marathon-level endeavor.  We’ve discussed preparation strategy, marketing needs, product development and roll-out needs, operations feedback and process improvement - all incredibly important to the baseline foundation of your startup business.  However, these points are just that – a starting point.  There’s quite a bit more to learn, develop and implement as your business grows beyond the scope allowed in this context.

I know personally, this experience has further shaped my future plans.  There were several concepts that were newly introduced to me that had me rethinking my planned approach to my post-military business endeavors.  It’s ok to dream big, but you need to take deliberate, planned steps toward your goals, particularly in retail or service industries.  You need to consider the wants and needs of your consumers, have a tangible strategy for building interest and a mechanism to ensure your initial offering will actually pull a profit (or at least generate enough activity to facilitate expansion).  

This book has helped me refocus my own ambitions, and I recommend it to anyone who has some entrepreneurial spirit and wants to plan out their entry into the business world.  This text is a great place to start but remember it’s just a foundation!  Learning is a life-long experience!


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