FOUR MODELS FOR THE POST-PANDEMIC OFFICE

Advances in information technology, pandemic-driven social-distancing, the fierce competition for talent and near-record high inflation are forcing business leaders to rethink where and how their organizations work.

If companies allow people to work from home, they can save money by reducing office space and helping inflation-pinched workers to hold onto the cash they would otherwise spend on commuting while giving them more control over how they spend their time.

If you manufacture physical goods or provide an in-person service, your people must work inside and your company has to own or lease the buildings where your company gets work done.

If your company provides a service based on software or entertaining, educating, or informing your customers, you may be able to operate without owning or leasing real estate.

In this case, ask whether your most talented people prefer to work close to others or at home. Even if your people prefer to work from home, you may still want to rent spaces where they can get together occasionally to brainstorm growth ideas or reinforce your company's culture.

To help business leaders think through these questions, here are four models to consider based on Boston-area companies that are grappling with these questions.

1. Let most employees work remotely and lease out unused space.

What should you do if you have locked in more space than you need through a long-term lease? One possibility is to redesign the fraction of the space that is occupied and lease out the rest.

That is what Cambridge, Mass.-based Internet service provider Akamai Technologies is doing with the "gleaming headquarters" it moved into a few months before the pandemic began, according to the Boston Globe. Akamai has locked in a $700 million, 15 year lease on the space while letting 95 percent of its people work remotely as long as they want.

Akamai's solution is to reconfigure most of its floors and lease out the rest. Specifically, the company is setting up a plan in 15 of its 19 floors which gives a dedicated desk to each employee who comes in four days a week or more and offers unassigned seating to the rest. The other four floors will be subleased to tenants, noted the Globe.

2. Tailor spaces to four different work activities.

Boston-based financial services provider, State Street, is building a new headquarters which it intends to occupy in 2023. 

State Street's new office design will include four kinds of workstations depending on what in-office workers are doing. According to the Globe, these include, "a standard desk; a pod-style bench area with no computer monitors to distract from collaborative work; heads-down desk space with short dividers that limit interaction with others; and airport-lounge style spots with no power outlets, allowing for a quick sit with nice view but not a place to post up all day."

To its credit, State Street will experiment with this configuration to determine how well it fosters the in-office work outcomes it is seeking to achieve.

3. Subsidize workers who return to the office two days a week.

What if your company is locked into a long-term lease with too much space and workers who can do their jobs from home and don't want to commute? You could provide incentives for them to come to the office.Cambridge-based automotive shopping service, 

CarGurus -- which is stuck with a 225,000 square foot headquarters lease in Boston's tony Back Bay --  is offering its employees such a deal. In exchange for coming to the office twice a week, workers get a $15 lunch stipend, free parking, and a local gym membership, according to the Globe.

CEO Jason Trevisan fears that an all-Zoom work culture could impede mentorship, employee engagement, and efficiency. It remains to be seen how many CarGurus workers will be willing to pay for the gasoline to commute twice a week.

4. Customize the office experience to each worker.

The most creative solution I've seen is to tailor the office experience to each worker. That's what Matt Carroll, CEO of Boston-based software company Immuta, is doing. During the pandemic, Immuta -- which leased a 16,000-square-foot office in Boston's Seaport District -- grew "from about 15 employees to more than 60," wrote the Globe.

Carroll likens his employees to birds. As he told the Globe, "Eagles make quick decisions, owls prefer to hunker down in silence, parrots enjoy collaborating with others. No one team, no two employees are quite the same."

Bob Boule, an Immuta employee who strikes me as a parrot, gets up early to make a long commute into Boston several days a week so after work he can have "a beer with a colleague or head to a Red Sox game," noted the Globe.

Which of these four models works best for your company?

BY PETER COHAN, FOUNDER, PETER S. COHAN & ASSOCIATES@PETERCOHAN

TIPS TO EXPERIENCE WHATEVER KIND OF SUCCESS YOU DESIRE

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Most people say that they want to experience success. Whether it’s career, relationship, a hobby, or something else, enjoying the fruits of our labor just feels good. However, not everyone understands what it takes to enjoy success at varying levels. Or, they may not really even have a clear idea of what success really means.

What Is Success?

People define success in different ways.  Success for one person could mean getting their desired job in sales and purchasing a home. Success for another person may mean making $100K per year and living each day happy and free. Yet for another person, it could be being a stay-at-home mother who is present for her children.

Success is largely defined as accomplishing a defined goal, so it’s quite individualistic. As such, success is whatever you want it to be physically, mentally, socially, and religiously or spiritually.

Regardless of what your definition of success is, there are some helpful characteristics or traits that can help you achieve it.

Most people want to enjoy success, but not everyone is willing to do what it takes, such as creating a strategic plan to help you achieve your goals. If you will take the time and make the effort to learn success principles, you’ll be much more inclined to enjoy success in every area of your life.

Creating Goals & Action Plans

Successful people have several things in common.  Creating goals and an action plan are two characteristics that will help you to be successful in the various areas of your life.  It really is important to actually sit down and write out your goals and then create a plan on how you will work toward accomplishing those goals.

Even if your action plan doesn’t pan out exactly as you desire, it’s alright. You may hit some bumps along the journey or you may experience a setback or two. Learn from them and keep going.  You may have to adjust your goals, your plan, or both – and that’s alright.

If you haven’t actually sat down to write your goals, do this today.  If you just think about your goals and success in your head, you’re less likely to see them fulfilled.

For example, the owner of Starbucks didn’t just have success fall in his lap.  He had a vision, created goals, and an action plan. Year after year he made forward progress toward his goals and little by little, he became successful.  He stayed on the course, even when setbacks came. He learned how to persevere and work smart and hard.  This is success played out over time.

Work Hard & Smart

If you want to activate success in every area of your life, along with creating goals and an action plan, learn the art of a solid work ethic.  Successful people don’t just work when they feel like it or simply work just enough to get by. They work hard. When they are on the clock, they are focusing on whatever their tasks are for that time frame. They’re not texting their friends, mindlessly scrolling social media, or simply wasting time.

There is a threshold that they get beyond, where many others give up because they don’t have a good work ethic.  If you want to be successful, commit to working hard and be dedicated and committed to your goals. Persevere through hard times or failures and stick to your vision through thick and thin.  This firm resolve to do what it takes to have success will surely get momentum moving quickly so that you will surely experience varying degrees of success.

Be Optimistic

Many successful people are optimistic. They believe in themselves and they believe that they are supported by the universe (or their higher power).  How optimistic are you? Do you tend to have more positive or negative thoughts going on in your life? When is the last time you observed your thought life?

Optimism, or positive thinking can be quite valuable in creating the kind of life you truly desire. If you need help in this area, there are a plethora of free online teachings and videos on the topic.  It takes time and practice, but you can learn to go from primarily negative thinking to positive thinking. Repetition helps.

Why Does Success Matter?

Some people get hung up on the term “success”.  They think that if they aren’t doing this or that, or have this or that, then they’re not successful. Here in the West, we tend to get hung up on the idea that success equals having a lot of things and beaucoup bucks. However, having material objects doesn’t mean you’re successful.

I’ve always been fond of Deepak Chopra’s definition of success:

“Success in life could be defined as the continued expansion of happiness and the progressive realization of worthy goals.”

I like this definition because it equates success with a state of feeling rather than accomplishing concrete goals.  The “expansion of happiness” – don’t we all desire that?  The “progressive realization of worthy goals” – by realizing that we are indeed making headway toward “worthy” goals, we enjoy more peace and joy.

And that feels good!

Dream Up A Good Life

Dream up some worthy goals today in any area of your life.  From career to family to being more generous to eating healthier – enjoy as best as you can your journey toward realizing your goals.

At the same time, embrace where you are along your journey. Maybe your goal is to rest and stop doing so much. Maybe you’re burned out and need a nice, long retreat. Allow yourself to enjoy that.

Maybe you’re not sure what success means to you. That’s alright too. Start contemplating what you want your life to look like in the near and far future. Ask yourself, “What does success mean to me?”, then, write it down.  Keep a journal to track your journey, celebrating milestones along the way.

SEVEN ESSENTIAL FOUNDER TRAITS

Google is famous for its love of data, not just when it comes to designing its products, but also when it comes to designing its business. The company has conducted much-discussed internal research into what makes for a successful manager, a successful team, and even a successful job interview process. 

Now Google for Startups, the arm of the search behemoth dedicated to supporting high-growth startups, has turned its attention to founders. Given that more than half of startups fail because of people problems, Google wanted to know what makes for an effective startup leader. 

To figure this out the company's researchers talked to more than 900 startup leaders in more than 40 countries. The results of the massive data gathering effort are now out in the form of Google for Startups' new Effective Founders Project report. The in-depth document is well worth a read in full, but the essential takeaway is that all successful startup leaders share seven essential traits. 

1. They treat people like volunteers.

If you want to attract and retain the best talent, rely on mission rather than compensation or perks alone, the report suggests. "Whether they're fresh graduates or experienced, world-class talent, the best people want to do great work for a challenging, meaningful mission," claims Google in a blog post summing up the findings. "For example, many talented engineers want a unique challenge, rather than another old project that just wants to crowd out the market."

2. They protect the team from distractions.

Is finding your focus easy in the wide open, rapidly changing world of startups? Absolutely not, but Google insists that if leaders want to be effective, it's a skill they have to learn. "While CEOs are often seen as distracted by new ideas, the best ones create focus and clarity on what really matters," says Google. "Set clear goals and priorities to build momentum for your team. This in turn fuels better performance and morale."

3. They minimize unnecessary micromanagement.

It's no shock that micromanagement isn't good management in a great many contexts, but Google's new research underlines the point: "Our data suggests micromanaging can be a major derailer, especially for CEOs. Recognize which teammates need to be closely supervised, and which you can empower to make good decisions and operate independently."

4. They invite disagreement.

On this point Google is in alignment with a whole host of super successful founders. "Our data suggests founders consistently undervalue inviting opinions that are different from their own, while co-founders and teammates rate it highly," Google notes, highlighting that "disagreement among diverse teams actually leads to more effective outcomes." 

5. They preserve interpersonal equity.

Successful co-founder relationships, like successful marriages, are built on open, clear communication, so make sure you discuss expectations in advance with your co-founders and stick to whatever you've agreed on. 

"Violated expectations are the main source of conflict among co-founders," Google cautions. "Our data suggests many founders keep track of their co-founder's duties, but unknowingly define expectations for themselves more minimally." Ensure you check in regularly with each other to make sure you feel your duties and rewards are balanced. 

6. They keep pace with expertise.

People skills are essential for success, but don't be lulled into thinking technical chops don't matter. Google found they do. A lot. "Ninety-three percent of the most effective founders have the technical expertise to effectively manage the work, and make time to stay ahead of their industry," the research found. 

7. They overcome discouragement.

Good news for aspiring founders who fear they don't have the self-confidence to make it in the startup game: The most successful founders feel the exact same way. Everyone (who is not delusional or wildly misinformed) struggles with self-doubt. The best founders just use their self-doubt as a prompt to learn and try more. 

"Our data suggests the most effective founders are not nearly as confident as the least effective founders are," Google says. "This observation aligns with what is known as the Dunning-Kruger effect, where overconfidence at the start of the journey helps founders get started, but discouragement and self-doubt set in soon after. That in turn can give you the inner challenge you need to reach further." 

What do these findings boil down to? A quote from VC and former Google SVP Bill Coughran in the report sums it up nicely: "Engineering is easy. People are hard." 

This new Google research reaffirms just how important so-called soft skills are to startup success. Founders should master those above unless they want to see their company among the half of startups that fail due to "people problems."

SEVEN DISCIPLINES FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE

There are 7 disciplines you must develop if you want to achieve all that is possible for you. You can learn these disciplines through practice and repetition until they become automatic. 

Goal Setting
Every morning, take 3 to 5 minutes to write out your top goals in the present tense. Get a spiral notebook for this purpose. By writing out your 10 goals at the beginning of each day, you will program them deep into your subconscious mind. 

This daily goal writing will activate your mental powers. It will stimulate your mind and make you more alert. Throughout the day, you will see opportunities and possibilities to move more rapidly toward your goals. 

Planning and Organizing
Take a few minutes, preferably the night before, to plan out every activity of the coming day. Always work from a list. Always think on paper. This is one of the most powerful and important disciplines of all for high performance. 

Priority Setting
The essence of all time management, personal management, and life management is contained in your ability to set proper priorities and use of your time. This is essential for high performance.

Concentration on your Highest-Value Activities
Your ability to work single-mindedly on your most important task will contribute as much to your success as any other discipline you can develop. 

Exercise and Proper Nutrition
Your health is more important than anything else. By disciplining yourself to exercise regularly and to eat carefully, you will promote the highest possible levels of health and fitness throughout your life. 

Learning and Growth
Your mind is like a muscle. If you don’t use it, you lose it. Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field. 

Time for Important People in your Life
Relationships are everything. Be sure that in climbing the ladder of success, you do not find it leaning against the wrong building. Make time for your relationships every day, no matter how busy you get. 

Action Exercise
These 7 disciplines will ensure that you perform at the highest level and get the greatest satisfaction and results from everything you do. Study these 7 disciplines and then make a plan for how you can incorporate each of them into your daily life. 

YOU NEED TO MONITOR FOR TOXIC CONTENT ON YOUR WEBSITE. A.I. CAN HELP

Toxic content is pervasive across the internet, and businesses that implement user generated content run the risk of playing host to scams, bigotry, and misinformation. Platforming this toxic content can be damaging to your brand's image and can harm consumer sentiment if not taken care of promptly and at scale.

Hiring moderators to sift through every livestream, podcast, post, and gif, however, could put your company out of business. There's simply too much content for humans to clean it all up. Another problem is that sifting through the worst of the internet can have adverse effects on your employees' health. In 2021, a judge awarded a group of more than 10,000 former Facebook moderators an $85 million settlement after the moderators developed PTSD on the job.

Enter the content moderation solutions market, which, by utilizing A.I. or pairing it with humans, is helping to turn the tide in the war against toxic content on the internet.

Kevin Guo, co-founder and CEO of A.I.-powered content moderation company Hive, first saw a potential business in automated content moderation when he and his co-founder Dmitriy Karpman were students at Stanford University. Guo and Karpman had created Kiwi, a video chat app that would randomly pair users with strangers from around the world.

Quickly, Guo found himself dealing with what he coined the "hot dog problem," which would later be parodied in the HBO comedy Silicon Valley. Put simply: men were using the app to expose themselves on camera to an unwilling public.

After determining that a solution to his problem did not exist, Guo decided to build a machine learning model that could identify and flag "hot dogs" himself. "I hand-labeled that set of images myself and it could really only do one thing, which was telling if something was a 'hot dog' or not."

Guo began selling his "hot dog" model on the side, but quickly realized that there were more applications for a learning model that could identify and label objects in images and video than just nudity detection, so in 2017 he and Karpman shut down their apps to focus entirely on enterprise business.

Now, Hive offers automated content moderation services of all kinds, with models that can be trained to detect toxic content within text and audio in addition to images. These models are used by companies including Reddit, Giphy, and Vevo to detect and shut down violence, hate speech, spam, bullying, self-harm, and other behaviors you'd rather not see on your website or app.

One of Guo's earliest successes in content moderation came when live video chat services Omegle and Chatroulette approached Hive to assist in cleaning up their content. Both companies became infamous in the early 2010s for their inability to deal with problems similar to the "hot dog" situation, so when they heard that Guo had cracked the code, they were intrigued.

"Now," Guo says, "those platforms are 100 percent clean. We sample every video chat, and we can flag it the moment something comes up." According to a case study, Hive closes over 1.5 million Chatroulette streams per month.

Guo says his models are designed to be used without any human assistance or input, a particularly attractive aspect for big businesses that need highly scalable solutions. 

In October 2021, Microsoft announced that it had acquired Two Hat, a content moderation provider focused on the online gaming industry. Like Hive, most of Two Hat's content moderation services work without human interaction. In a blog post announcing the acquisition, Xbox Product Services corporate vice president Dave McCarthy said that Two Hat's tech has helped to make global communities in Xbox, Minecraft and MSN safer for users via a highly configurable approach that allows the user to decide what they are and aren't comfortable with.

Other content moderation professionals, however, feel that the true solution lies in combining what A.I. does well with human decision-making. Twitch, the global livestreaming service for gaming, music, and entertainment, is creating internal programs that use machine learning partnered with humans to flag suspicious and harmful content. While some content is banned platform-wide, such as nudity and violence, Twitch also allows streamers to customize content moderation specifically for their own channel.

A primary example of this customization, according to Twitch community health product director Alison Huffman, comes in the form of a recently released tool called Suspicious User Detection. The tool uses machine learning to identify users who have created a new account in order to get around being banned from a specific channel. The tool flags potential ban evaders and then lets creators make their own decision on how to proceed.

"We're trying to combine the best of machine learning, which is scalable and efficient but imperfect at detecting nuance, with human review, which is less efficient but more nuanced and personal," says Huffman.

"This way, we're using machine learning to give creators information that helps them make better, faster safety decisions--while still leaving that final decision in their hands."

10 NETWORKING STATISTICS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Still not convinced of the benefits of expanding your network? Check out these statistics proving why you should start networking ASAP (and covering some obstacles that we’ll discuss later on):

1. 85% of jobs are filled through networking. —HubSpot
2. 70% of people found a job through connections in a company. —Review42
3. Business executives disclosed they would lose 28% of their business if they stopped networking. —NovoResume
4. 49% of people who don’t maintain contact with their network said they don’t have enough time for networking. —Zippia
5. 70% of small business owners do their networking online. —Fit Small Business
6. 70% of jobs are not advertised, making networking crucial. —FinancesOnline
7. 80% of professionals consider professional networking to be important for career success. —LinkedIn
8. Over 35% of LinkedIn users said casual conversations on LinkedIn Messages led to new opportunities. —GoRemotely
9. Getting co-workers to network reduces the likelihood of turnover by 140%. —TeamStage
10. 38% of professionals think networking is most active in restaurants. —WritersBlockLive

5 Ways To Network Like A Pro

From social media to networking events to volunteering for a good cause, there are plenty of ways you can start networking to meet new people, build relationships, and advance your professional career. If you don’t know where to start, take a look at these five options to help you accelerate your professional success.

Social Media

If you don’t have a lot of time, networking via social media could be a great fit for you. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social platforms provide an easy way to find job openings or exchange information with people all over the world.

The simplest way to start networking on social media is to send a brief message to someone new–maybe Facebook friends, or a LinkedIn profile that catches your eye.

After you’ve engaged with someone’s posts over time, send a direct message to your new contact, keeping things warm and friendly yet still professional and polite.

Demonstrate how connecting could be beneficial for you both — you want something from them, but what do you have to offer to help make the connection more genuine and valuable?

When trying to network, though, it’s absolutely essential for your message to be specific and personalized–no copy and pasting here. Remember, you want to come across as authentic in order to foster a real and meaningful relationship.

You should also interact with other peoples’ posts as well as sharing original content of your own. This can help you connect with people who have common interests, and your posts will also position you as a professional expert in your field.

Endorse your LinkedIn contacts and take every opportunity you get to say something good about others.

Follow leaders and influencers in your field to stay up to date on what’s happening. You can also follow a marketing guru or hiring manager to expand your network if you’re planning to look for a new job soon.

A few more tips to keep in mind as you network:

• Be willing to reach out to all kinds of people online, including people who are at your level as well as executives.
• Ask for advice and then be willing to pay it forward, helping others solve problems too.

Networking Events

In the age of social media, it might seem appealing to take the easy route and focus solely on networking online. But in-person events are important, too.

Take a look at this information from Forbes, based on a study showing the benefits of in-person networking vs. networking online:

• Building stronger, more meaningful business relationships (85%)
• Better ability to read body language and facial expressions (77%)
• Ability to bond with co-workers/clients and more social interaction (75%)
• Allows for more complex strategic thinking (49%)
• Better environment for tough, timely decision-making (44%)
• Less opportunity for unnecessary distractions (40%)
• Leads to higher-quality decision-making (39%)
• Easier to focus (38%)
• Fewer disruptions and delays (23%)

95% of people agree that better business relationships are built through face-to-face meetings. So find a networking event near you and fake it until you make it. Events where you can start networking may include:

• Job fairs
• Trade shows
• Conferences
• Seminars
• Breakfast or lunch
• Roundtable discussions

Ask your friends and colleagues if they have any networking events to recommend. You can also use websites like Eventbrite or Meetup to find a networking event.

If you’re traveling for work or for vacation, research the city you’ll be visiting to see if there are any local networking events you could attend while in town.

Subscribe to relevant industry email newsletters and social media pages. They may include a roundup of networking events. Local social media sites could also be a good resource.

Happy Hours

Does the idea of a formal networking event freak you out? Find a more casual event that’s geared toward mingling and informal conversations. Happy hours, for example, are more laid-back events that cater to a relaxed atmosphere.

You’ll typically find happy hours held in large cities in the late afternoon, or even virtually.

Adjust your daytime outfit so you still look professional, but a little more casual. While these events are a more casual way to make new connections, you should still keep things professional; treat higher-ups with respect and keep the conversation focused on work, your skills and trying to build a professional relationship with new people.

While sharing personal stories about your life and interests outside of work is also important, when networking, you want to have a primary focus on your professional life.

It should also go without saying, that if you’re at an event or meetup at a restaurant or bar, to treat servers with respect and tip well. Do this, first and foremost, because they’re people too, but also to give a good impression to any potential future bosses.

Pro tip: Make sure you don’t drink too much. The last thing you want is to get tipsy at a professional event. Happy hour events geared for networking often have non-alcoholic options available as well for those who prefer not to drink.

Mentorship

Finding a mentor is a good way to be successful with networking and making new connections. There are numerous benefits to having a mentor. You can receive encouragement, feedback, and personalized advice on how to get where you want to go. And of course, you can grow your network by leaps and bounds.

Your mentor can introduce you to people you need to know in their own network. Working with a mentor will increase your overall visibility. Your mentor will know the best networking events to attend and will provide guidance on what to say or do when you get there.

How can you find a mentor? Reach out to someone you admire. Tell them what you like about their work, and explain what you want to learn from them. Get to know your mentor, talking about lighthearted personal topics as well as asking career-focused questions.

Follow up after your first meeting and ask if you can meet again. Make sure to say thank you–and ask if you can help them with anything, too.

Volunteering Organizations

Another method of building relationships is to volunteer for a cause you’re passionate about. Networking through volunteering might not be your first thought–but it’s an effective way to make valuable connections, while benefiting the cause you’re working for, too.

Find a nonprofit that aligns with your passions and skills and volunteer your expertise. Maybe you’re a lifelong animal lover, and you work as a graphic designer. Your local Humane Society might love your help creating adorable graphics for their social media, or flyers to put up around town.

Once you’ve found a place to volunteer, get to know everyone you can–staff members, fellow volunteers, donors, and more. Start conversations and share about what you do currently and what you’d like to do in the future.

You don’t have to spend a lot of time volunteering. Even one Saturday afternoon a month can result in some quality connections that might hold benefits down the road.

9 THINGS YOU LEARN ONLY AFTER FAILING

Everybody fails. From Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk to the small-business owner at your corner store, enduring failure is simply a fact of life for all entrepreneurs. The thing that separates the best founders from their peers is the ability to learn from that failure.

In a recently posted Reddit thread on the r/entrepreneur subreddit, dozens of users shared their perspectives on key lessons that can only be learned after failing. Here are some of the best takes about wisdom gained from failure:

1. Don't forget to focus on sales.

You can create an essential product that revolutionizes your industry, but it won't make a bit of difference if nobody knows about it. While focusing on the quality of your product is important, sales and marketing are essential to getting the word out about your business. "It's not 90 percent product and 10 percent sales," one redditor writes. "It's mostly sales."

2. Learn to spot signs of toxic personalities.

When selecting a business partner and hiring employees, make sure you don't get suckered in by, as one redditor calls them, "narcissists, sociopaths, and psychopaths." Toxic personalities can have a catastrophic impact on your business if not dealt with quickly. To spot the signs, look out for a lack of empathy for others and the use of intelligence or charm to manipulate peers.

3. Go with your gut.

Don't be afraid to strike out on your own path if you have an idea you believe in. The "this is the way it's always been done" mentality can lead to creative stagnation. Just because something has only ever been done one way doesn't mean it's the best way. Experiment with new ideas and business models, as you never know when you may hit upon something brilliant. "Sometimes everyone in your industry is doing it wrong," one redditor writes.

4. Take feedback seriously.

It can be demoralizing to receive negative feedback on a product or service you've poured your passion into, but don't ignore it. While going with your gut is important, leading with solid evidence rather than emotion is just as key. "Don't half-ass product feedback," one redditor writes. "My first couple apps failed because I didn't listen to my users."

5. Solve the problem, and then create the product.

The success of your business depends on your ability to solve a specific problem using the product or service you've developed. Make sure that you've truly found a way to solve the problem you're addressing before you begin creating the product and looking for funding.

6. Understand your service providers.

Your business will likely need to rely on third-party service providers, be it e-commerce, web services, or marketing solutions. Make sure you fully understand the terms and conditions of every service provider you work with before signing a contract.

7. Learn how to say no.

When starting your business, it can be tempting to accept any work offer that comes your way, but don't make deals to provide services outside of your expertise just to land some quick cash. Stick to the areas where you know you're strong, and focus on them.

8. Prioritize co-founder relationships.

As one redditor puts it, "co-founders need more effort, care, and caution than marriage." While that may be a bit of an exaggeration, it is absolutely vital that you and your co-founder are always on the same page. Presenting a united front to your employees, investors, and clients will do wonders for your reputation.

9. Learn to delegate.

As your business begins to grow, your schedule will become increasingly more complicated to keep track of. Work on training your employees to take on more senior-level tasks. It will save you time and brainpower and will show your employees that you trust them. "It feels great knowing I'm paying my employees VERY well and I trust them to do a great job," says one redditor.

Remember these words of wisdom the next time a deal doesn't go your way or you experience setbacks trying to grow your business. As Star Wars' Yoda once said, "The greatest teacher, failure is."