![Alex Rainey](https://cdn.feather.blog?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.notion.so%2Fimage%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Fprod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%252F98914fdb-78d4-41b2-8b2f-2231e8aa84bb%252Fb87c77b2-9e2b-4ed3-8c91-2e1ef032487a%252F1ggjuXtB_400x400.jpg%3Ftable%3Dblock%26id%3D99dad5f9-bd51-4714-8986-71f6b241dcd1%26cache%3Dv2&optimizer=image&quality=80&width=280)
Alex is an experienced CTO and founder who largely focuses on all the technical areas of My AskAI, from AI Engineering, Technical Product Management and overall Platform Development.
![6 Essential Tips for First-Time Founders: Maximize Your Success](https://cdn.feather.blog?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.notion.so%2Fimage%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Fprod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%252F98914fdb-78d4-41b2-8b2f-2231e8aa84bb%252F2d8734a2-18a3-4787-bd4b-fd0be5187177%252FGroup_1000004273.png%3Ftable%3Dblock%26id%3D9ea1c0f7-b317-4a66-8ddf-bf6815569ec4%26cache%3Dv2&optimizer=image&quality=80&width=280)
Personal Opinion on Becoming a Founder
1. Take the Plunge
- The biggest differentiator between founders and non-founders is simply that we take the plunge (and we do it again and again).
- Not being afraid to put yourself out there and what you make on the line.
- Being open to critique is a hard thing, but it's vital to being a founder.
- So just start. Try to launch something in the next month or two.
2. Start Small
- This doesn't mean you have to quit your job to 'start something'.
- I would always advise people to build a small side product in their spare time and try to get some initial traction.
- Only once you have some proof of demand or that you're solving a real problem, can you think about quitting your job.
3. Wear Many Hats
- You need to be able to and be comfortable wearing many hats.
- Being able to think about the business, commercials/finance, product, marketing, etc. is crucial in the early stages.
- The best founders are comfortable with all these domains and are great at most of them, even if they have little background in them.
4. Strong Opinions, Weakly Held
- "Strong Opinions, Weakly Held" (not my quote).
- Being able to put your ego and sunk costs aside when you learn something new and being able to change direction is very very important.
- Too many founders and startups just keep on going, dying the slow death.
5. Use Data for Decision-Making
- The best founders/teams I've worked with respect data as a vital signal in any decision-making.
- It can never be the only signal (lots of issues with interpreting data).
- But soooo many startups barely use data or just pay it lip service.
- I can't tell you how many times I thought a big new feature was going to be well-received and move the needle. But the data is unemotional and tells you the cold reality, like "only 5% of users tried this feature in 30 days, and the users that tried it had the same retention and those that didn't".
6. Value Your Time
- Place an enormous value on your own time.
- Time is without a doubt your most precious and constrained resource.
- If you waste it in the early stages, your chances of success will be very low.
- The best founders ruthlessly prioritise their time — shedding unnecessary tasks/chats/meetings/random coffees.
- They're hyper-focused on what they need to do with their time and what the company is using its collective time building.
Written by
![Alex Rainey](https://cdn.feather.blog?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.notion.so%2Fimage%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Fprod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%252F98914fdb-78d4-41b2-8b2f-2231e8aa84bb%252Fb87c77b2-9e2b-4ed3-8c91-2e1ef032487a%252F1ggjuXtB_400x400.jpg%3Ftable%3Dblock%26id%3D99dad5f9-bd51-4714-8986-71f6b241dcd1%26cache%3Dv2&optimizer=image&quality=80&width=280)
Alex is an experienced CTO and founder who largely focuses on all the technical areas of My AskAI, from AI Engineering, Technical Product Management and overall Platform Development.