I’ve learned so much as an entrepreneur that it’s hard to narrow it down to just a few things. I think the most important thing is just to do it. There is never going to be a better time than right now, so stop thinking and take some action. If you have an idea for a project start working on it in your spare time and see if it turns into something that will make you happy.

Happiness is important in a startup, both the founder’s happiness and the happiness of your users. If working on your project doesn’t excite you then you should look into a different project. There will always be hard times in a startup but if you really enjoy your project then you’ll be better able to make things work. If your project is something that excites you and makes your users happy, you can’t fail. You’re either going to have a successful business or you’re going to have great experience for your next opportunity.

Finally I would say that, contrary to popular opinion, you’re not likely to have overnight success. Startups are not a get rich quick scheme, most of the successes are the result of years of hard work. So don’t set unrealistic goals of making millions in a few months, because it won’t happen. Just try to get users, if you can get a few then talk to them and see how you can improve your product to get more. Focus on making your users happy and you’ll be successful.

Next: Your Market