Make your product a must-have, not a nice-to-have.

Think of a startup not as a scary leap, but as a progressive list of questions.

Think ahead. Make an early start on getting access to the data your company will ultimately need.

Create intermediate goals. Adapt your metrics to your near-term capabilities.

Lead by example and a whole industry might follow.

Don’t build in a vacuum—drive toward a comprehensive solution.

Consider how data can both serve a private business model and make public infrastructures more efficient.

Sell differently. Disrupting the single-owner model is a huge opportunity to bring services to underserved markets.

Can strategic sharing of technology and knowledge improve an entire industry’s performance?

Anticipate how technological innovations might rapidly reframe what your users will value.

Prepare for a pivot. Build a talent pipeline for future market opportunities.

Don't be satisfied with the status quo. Use challenges as opportunities to solve real-world problems.

Entrepreneurs don't always have to be risk takers, says Ryan Petersen, CEO and founder of Flexport. Studying the market can help ensure there's a need for your product, and teach you what problems your customers are facing. Petersen spent 3 years learning about the heavily regulated shipping industry before launching Flexport in 2013, and built an understanding of how important customers saying "yes, if," would be to the success of his company.

“There’s no better way to learn about the world and solve problems than starting a company,” says Ryan Petersen, CEO and founder of Flexport. However, don’t discount the skills and expertise you gain when you go work for another company. Focus on learning as your first goal; when you’ve developed the skills you need to be successful, you can launch your own business.

Identify your goal. Focus on it to avoid distractions.

Timing is everything. Be flexible and receptive to opportunities .

Lessons can appear out of thin air. Stay present to gain knowledge.

Practice good business sense. Maintain your sense of purpose.