Why be involved in a startup?

When I started thinking about what it would take to start a new venture like MakeStuffGo, I did some research into what successful companies did at the beginning of their journey.

I found that if you want to build a truly successful startup like Stripe, SpaceX, TikTok (originally known as ByteDance), OpenAI, or Instacart, here's what you need to focus on.

First, don't just focus on only creating a product, focus more on solving a meaningful problem in your industry. Looking at how Stripe simplified online payments or how Instacart addressed the growing demand for grocery delivery. Whatever you do, make sure your solution is customer-centric. It’s not just about having shiny technology, it’s about making your customers' lives easier and ensuring your product meets their needs. 

You also have to be relentless with innovation. Use emerging technologies to your advantage, just like SpaceX did with reusable rockets or TikTok with its AI-powered content recommendations. 

Design an operation that can scale, building something small that works isn’t enough for the longer run. You need products or services that can handle rapid growth without breaking under pressure. It’s essential to think long-term from the very beginning. You need a clear, bold vision that motivates your team to push boundaries, much like how Elon Musk envisions humanity becoming a multi-planetary species with SpaceX.

Now, agility is key. Things will change; your product and the market fit, your customer demands and competition. So you have to be ready to pivot when necessary. Don’t be afraid to make big adjustments based on feedback and data. TikTok, for example, rapidly expanded and adapted to international markets, and look where that got them. Being agile and open to change can keep you ahead of the curve.

Form strategic partnerships to accelerate your growth. This is where many startups fail. Don’t try to do everything alone—SpaceX worked with NASA, OpenAI partnered with Microsoft, and TikTok leveraged Musical.ly to break into the U.S. market. These partnerships allowed them to scale much faster than they could on their own.

Make sure your business model is sustainable and profitable from the start. It’s not enough to have a great product if you’re burning through cash without a clear path to profitability. Learn from these successful startups—they managed to grow while keeping profitability in mind, balancing innovation with financial stability.

Finally, foster an organisational culture that prioritises accountability, continuous learning, and proactive engagement always aligning with, and exceeding, industry trends. Equipping our team with the insights and knowledge they need to understand customer needs and help those customers manage cloud costs effectively. When everyone is aligned with this mission, they become empowered to take ownership of the challenge, actively seeking out innovative ways to optimise resources and minimize expenses. Instead of simply reacting to market demands, the team can lead the way by setting new standards and driving efficiencies. 

By focusing on real solutions, nurturing an adaptable and informed workforce, and fostering a forward-thinking culture, I am hoping to position this company for sustained growth and success in the ever-evolving landscape of cloud technology, and the costs associated with it.