Startup School
The First 100 Days: What Every Founder Needs to Know When Launching a Startup
There’s something electric about starting. The domain is secured. The idea is clear. The ambition is high. But in the first 100 days of a startup’s life, what you do—and what you choose not to do—can define your trajectory.
This early phase can determine your venture’s long-term viability—or its early demise. It’s a time of relentless decision-making, constant adaptation, and foundational growth. Whether you're a first-time founder or a seasoned entrepreneur, here’s what you need to know to navigate this critical window with focus, clarity, and just enough chaos to build something real.
1. Start with ruthless clarity of purpose
In the chaos of early startup life, clarity becomes your compass. You need to define:
The problem you’re solving
Who you’re solving it for
Why your solution is better or different
This may seem obvious, but many startups fail because their founders can’t articulate this clearly. Avoid jargon. If you can't explain your idea to a 10-year-old or a stranger in an elevator, it's time to go back to the drawing board.
2. Validate before you build
Don’t write a single line of code or design a fancy pitch deck before you validate the core assumptions behind your business. The first 100 days are about learning, not scaling. Focus on:
Customer interviews (talk to at least 50 potential users)
Problem validation (is this a real, painful issue?)
Customer willingness to pay (ask the hard questions early)
Build a scrappy minimum viable product (MVP) or even a landing page test before you invest months into development.
3. Assemble the right team—slowly but smartly
You don’t need a full company in your first 100 days. But you do need the right co-founder(s) or early collaborators. Choose wisely based on:
Complementary skills
Shared values and vision
High trust and communication
A bad early hire will slow you down. A strong one could be your startup’s co-pilot through turbulent skies.
4. Set up systems—but keep them lightweight
You don’t need enterprise-grade tools but you do need a way to:
Track tasks (Trello, Notion, Asana)
Communicate efficiently (Slack, WhatsApp)
Keep tabs on customer conversations (CRM or a basic spreadsheet)
Build the habit of documenting decisions, tracking learnings, and staying on top of your team’s progress.
5. Prioritize ruthlessly
Time is your most precious resource. In the first 100 days, everything feels urgent. But not everything is important. Adopt a framework like:
Setting weekly goals with hard deadlines
Force yourself to focus on what truly moves the needle—traction, learning, and solving customer pain.
6. Understand your financial runway
Money buys you time—and time buys you learning. Know:
Your monthly burn rate
Your runway (months until you’re out of cash)
Your backup plans if revenue or funding doesn’t materialize
Be brutally honest. Many startups run out of money not because they weren’t “good,” but because they assumed they’d have more time than they did.
7. Start building your brand early
Your brand is more than a logo. It’s how people perceive you. From day one, be intentional about:
Your tone and voice
How you engage with early users
What you share publicly (on social, blogs, podcasts)
People are buying your story as much as your product—especially early investors and customers.
8. Prepare for emotional whiplash
In 100 days, you’ll probably feel:
Like a genius on Monday
Like a fraud by Wednesday
And like both by Friday
This is normal. Find a support network—other founders, mentors, or advisors. The psychological toll of building a startup is real, and resilience is a muscle you’ll learn to strengthen fast.
9. Talk to customers—every. single. day.
There is no substitute for direct contact with your users. Make it a rule: No day without a customer conversation.
You’ll learn:
What actually matters to them
What features confuse or excite them
What they’d pay for (or not)
This feedback loop is your lifeblood in the early days. It’s also how you build a product that solves a real problem.
10. Don’t wait to launch
Perfection is the enemy of momentum. Launch something small. Collect feedback. Iterate. Repeat.
