This is, in short, the bumpy road all startups will eventually take before reaching success. Every story is different but all will agree that their path followed this curve in some way.

1. Curve THE START-UP
A VISUAL LOOK AT THE UPS AND DOWNS
OF THE WORLD OF STARTUPS.

2. Welcome to the Start-Up Curve. Every entrepreneur should be familiar with the
ups and downs of this roller coaster ride. If you’re ready and strapped in, let’s
take a look at what’s in store at each turn of a new Start-Up.

3. BEFORE START-UP
Get into the Start-Up Mindset. Challenge the conventional by thinking what if and why. Look
beyond your comfort zone, and disregard the status quo. Conquer your fears of failure, don’t be
intimidated by the wolves already lurking in the industry.
IDEA EXPERIMENTATION SUCCESS EXPANSION
FEAR OF
FAILURE

4. PEAK OF
NAIVE
ENTHUSIASM
BEFORE START-UP
REALITY
CRASH
IDEA
Grab your idea by the horns. This is the point where enthusiasm peaks without the necessary
skill to manage it. Valuable, but always doomed for the dreaded reality crash. Don’t be
discouraged, this happens to every Start-Up.

5. TRENCHES OF
FALSE HOPE
EXPERIMENTATION
BEFORE START-UP IDEA
Manifest your ideas into a product, then experiment by continuously applying user feedback,
pivot, and try again. Figure out what works and what doesn’t, and act on it immediately. Don’t
slack in experimentation, adapt, survive, and then you can thrive.

6. SLOW SLOPE
OF SUCCESS
SUCCESS
BEFORE START-UP IDEA EXPERIMENTATION
You made it. One caveat: Don’t get complacent. It’s easy at this stage to plateau. Advancements
are going to slow down, but the results of hard work are starting to show as well. Keep doing
what works and continue innovations for future expansion. Try not to burn yourself out.

7. THE PROMISED
LAND
EXPANSION
BEFORE START-UP IDEA EXPERIMENTATION SUCCESS
Cue the sun beams, doves, and choir. You’ve made it to the promised land without going extinct.
Dig your heels in and expand. The same caveat exists, complacency is the enemy, but hey, since
you’ve made it, maybe it’s time to take a look at another venture and let the cash roll in.

9. Curve THE START-UP
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100 AngelList
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