100 Mentors Walk Into a Startup...

100 Mentors Walk Into a Startup...

Spoiler: none of them said “make it perfect.” Here’s what real founders wish they’d learned sooner.

Spoiler: none of them said “make it perfect.” Here’s what real founders wish they’d learned sooner.

The gist…

The gist…

Most business advice online feels like it was written by a bot in a hoodie. So I asked 100 real founders and mentors one question:

“What do you wish someone told you before you started?”

The answers were sage, funny, and surprisingly consistent. Forget chasing perfection: launch early. Build rhythms that last. Focus like your sanity depends on it. Talk to your customers. Talk to your customers (yes, I said that twice for emphasis).And accept that even when you do everything right, you can still lose (but you’ll lose smarter next time).

What We Get Into:

  • Why “perfect” is just procrastination in disguise

  • How to build rhythm before you build burnout

  • A focus habit that actually compounds

  • What talking to your customers really fixes

  • How to lose well, and come back faster

Episode transcript, if you're that way inclined

Episode transcript, if you're that way inclined

Episode transcript, if you're that way inclined

HEY

I’m Tom, and I run Cold. I help startup founders and marketers make progress.

If you want to go deeper, see how I work, and explore ways we can collaborate, head here:

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tllo Ltd T/A Cold.inc © 2025

Icy mountain landscape at sunset

tllo Ltd T/A Cold.inc © 2025

Icy mountain landscape at sunset

tllo Ltd T/A Cold.inc © 2025

Icy mountain landscape at sunset

tllo Ltd T/A Cold.inc © 2025

Icy mountain landscape at sunset

tllo Ltd T/A Cold.inc © 2025