Dr. Saarthak Bakshi, Serial Entrepreneur and CEO of RISAA IVF of the most exciting and challenging journeys is starting a company. It’s exciting, full of new ideas, and gives you a sense of freedom. But at the same time, it can also be confusing and a little hard to manage. As someone who has built startups and worked with many first-time founders, I’ve seen that some mistakes keep happening again and again. These mistakes don’t mean that you’re doing everything wrong but they’re just part of the learning process. Today, I’ll talk about the five most common mistakes that new founders make. More importantly, I’ll also share how you can avoid them and make your startup journey a little smoother.

The Five Biggest Mistakes First-Time Founders Make:-

Starting a new business is exciting but it also has a wide learning process. There are many first-time founders who begin with a lot of energy and big dreams and that’s a good thing. But often, they don’t fully know what is going to come. In the early days, even small choices can have a big impact. I’ve seen some common mistakes that can slow things down, waste money, or make things harder than they need to be. Below, I’ll share five of the most common mistakes that new founders make and how you can avoid them.

1.    Trying to Do Everything Yourself

When you’re just starting out, it can feel like you need to handle every task on your own. It includes building the product to marketing, handling finances, and even customer support. But doing everything alone quickly leads to burnout and slows the entire progress. Building a startup requires a team on whom you can trust. Learn to delegate early and bring people in who are better than you at certain things.

2.    Building Without Understanding the Customer

A lot of founders fall in love with their idea but forget to ask, “Does anyone actually need this?” They build a product based on what they think people want, rather than talking to real users. Without understanding the problem deeply, you

take the risk to create something that no one uses. So, it’s important to stay close to your customers and listen more, build less, and test often.

3.    Launching Too Fast or Too Slow

Some founders rush to launch without doing proper testing. And, they end up with a broken or confusing product. Others keep waiting for it to be “perfect,” and never launch at all. Both of these can hurt your startup. So, a simple version of your idea (called an MVP) is a good way to test things early, get feedback, and improve as you go.

4.    Poor Money Management

First-time founders often don’t plan their finances well. Either they spend too much in the beginning or try to cut corners in the wrong places. It’s important to know how much money you have, where it’s going, and how long it will last. It’s important to have good money habits to survive longer and grow at the right pace.

5.    Not Asking for Help

Many founders try to figure everything out on their own. They avoid asking for help because they’re afraid it’ll make them look weak or inexperienced. But the truth is, asking for guidance from mentors, advisors, or other founders is a strength. The right advice at the right time can save you from months of mistakes.

How to Learn from These Mistakes?

Every founder makes mistakes and it’s a normal part of starting something new. What really matters is how you learn from them. These simple tips can help you grow and make better choices for the next time:

• Stay calm and don’t panic because mistakes happen to everyone.
  • Think about what went wrong and why it happened.
  • Learn from it instead of feeling bad about it.
  • Talk to other founders or mentors who’ve been through it.
  • Ask questions and don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”
  • Be open to change and if something isn’t working, try a new way.
  • Keep going because learning and improving is how great businesses are built.

Final Thoughts

Starting a business can be tough, but it’s also a great experience. You will make mistakes, but that’s okay because it’s all part of learning. The important thing is not to give up. Keep learning from your mistakes, stay focused, and keep moving forward. Every successful founder has faced challenges, just like you. Keep going, and you’ll get there!