The Long Road

In the last ten years, fundamental shifts have occurred throughout our economy, society and in technology (especially software) to lower the cost, time and risk of founding a software startup. These innovations give entrepreneurs like you a distinct and new advantage to do so much more with almost no hardware, fewer people, and significantly less capital. These changes enable you to build diverse and innovative products that solve problems on a global scale or for the smallest niche communities. It is a truly amazing moment to be an entrepreneur. 


With that said, more advantages in no way means advantaged. You should have no illusions (zero) about how incredibly difficult it is to found, maintain and grow a software startup. As a pre-funded startup you’ll always be desperately underfunded, undermanned and out of time. It’s an Olympic marathon and you’re starting eight miles back—without shoes. 


I wrote this book to help you avoid costly and often fatal mistakes in each arduous step of the startup process—from concept, choosing the right partners, product strategy and team building to development, traction, funding and marketing. There is absolutely no sugar coating, quick tips, shortcuts or “Ten Easy Steps to Getting X.” That’s not what I’m promising. 


I am promising clear, actionable, honest (sometimes brutal) distillations of hard-earned lessons that I have learned running a software product studio for nine years as well as perspectives from thought leaders in business, tech, education, sports, journalism and other industries whom I deeply respect. I share the crushing defeats, ludicrous events and sometimes hilarious turns that every entrepreneur experiences in one form or another.  


Most importantly, this book underscores the gravity of what you are considering. All too often we are sold a bill of goods; all you need is desire and an idea, and overnight you too can be the next Elon Musk, Bill Gates or Larry Page. I’m sorry, friend, but this book will debunk that notion and replace it with a far more realistic and far less rockstar depiction of entrepreneurialism.  


By reading The Long Road you will go into the startup process with your eyes wide open, more equipped and better prepared for that long, strange, exciting, disappointing, painful and hopefully rewarding process of creating a great product, brand, team and company from absolutely nothing that can enrich and change the lives of your customers around the world. 


Who is this Book for? 


You’ve got an idea for a software startup that just won’t go away. The idea is something you believe in. It’s more than just a business idea—it’s a real solution to a real problem that you or people you care about have. You truly want to fix that problem and you believe your idea will solve it so well that people will part with their hard-earned money to get it. 


You’re a W2 worker or freelancer (hopefully at a tech firm). You’re in your late 20s, 30s or 40s and have a solid network of talented engineers, project managers and designers at your disposal.


You suffer from a little distortion psychologists call optimism bias. (Don’t worry we all have it to some degree, but you, dear friend, have it in spades.) Optimism bias is what allows you to do what all your friends, family and co-workers won’t. It allows you to ignore all the statistics, warnings from peers, and the clear risks that you see in launching a startup and say, “They are all wrong and I am going to beat the odds.”    


This book is for you.