Top Ten Tips Every Entrepreneur Should Consider When Starting a Business

Launching a business? Learn the ten essential steps every entrepreneur should take—from validating your idea to building systems that scale. A practical startup guide from Boston Business Mentors.

Starting a business is one of the most exciting—and daunting—adventures you can take. Whether you’re opening your first small business or scaling a promising idea, early decisions have an outsized impact. At Boston Business Mentors, we’ve coached hundreds of founders through those pivotal early months. Here are our Top Ten Tips to help you start strong and avoid common pitfalls.

1. Validate the Problem Before You Build
Before you invest in branding or tech, confirm the problem you’re solving actually matters. Talk to potential customers, run a quick survey, or build a simple landing page to gauge real interest. Look for proof in commitment, not compliments.

2. Clarify Your Value Proposition
If you can’t explain your business in one clear sentence, your customers won’t get it either. Define who you help, what problem you solve, and why your approach is unique. Clarity builds credibility.

3. Understand Your Numbers
Even creative founders need to know their math. Learn your Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Lifetime Value (LTV), and gross margins early. Financial literacy is not optional—it’s your compass.

4. Set Up the Right Legal and Financial Structure
Protect yourself and your business. Choose the right entity (LLC or corporation), get a business bank account, register for local permits, and track every transaction. Clean books make funding, taxes, and growth far easier.

5. Price for Value, Not Fear
Entrepreneurs often underprice. Remember: people pay to solve pain. Price your offering based on impact, not cost. Start small, test tiers, and be willing to raise prices as demand grows.

6. Create a Repeatable Go-to-Market Plan
Growth doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built by habits. Whether through social media, email marketing, or partnerships, choose one simple, consistent sales motion and measure it weekly.

7. Focus on a “Minimum Lovable Product”
You don’t need a perfect product—you need one that people love enough to tell others about. Launch with your simplest version that delivers genuine value, then improve based on feedback.

8. Build Simple Systems from the Start
Document your repeatable processes now. A shared folder of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for onboarding, invoicing, and client communications keeps things smooth—and prepares you to scale.

9. Surround Yourself with the Right People
Every founder needs mentors, peers, and advisors. Look for people who have already faced the challenges you’re navigating. Their insights will save you time, money, and sleepless nights.

10. Manage Your Runway—and Yourself
Cash and energy are your two most precious resources. Keep at least 6–12 months of runway and guard your physical and mental health. Sustainable founders build sustainable businesses.

Your Entrepreneur Starter Checklist
✅ 20+ customer conversations complete
✅ Business entity formed, bank account opened
✅ Pricing tiers tested
✅ Go-to-market plan outlined
✅ MLP ready to launch
✅ Advisors identified
✅ Cash flow plan in place

Final Thought
Entrepreneurship is a journey of learning, resilience, and iteration. Focus on progress over perfection, and keep your feedback loops short: talk to customers → test → measure → refine.

If you’d like help refining your business plan or testing your first marketing strategy, Boston Business Mentors offers free, confidential mentoring to entrepreneurs across New England.

Connect with us today: www.BostonBusinessMentors.org
Email: connect@bbmentors.org