The Startup Playbook They Don't Teach You:

 

The Startup Playbook They Don't Teach You: 3 Counter-Intuitive Steps for a Bulletproof Launch

1. Introduction: The Real First Steps to a Successful Launch

The internet is flooded with startup advice, most of it generic and theoretical. We're told to write exhaustive business plans, dream big, and create complex financial models. But what if the most effective first steps aren't found in a textbook? What if they're out in the real world, waiting to be collected? This is an entrepreneur's toolkit, distilled into a few surprisingly practical, field-tested rules for building a truly sustainable business. These principles challenge common wisdom by prioritizing ruthless execution and real-world data over abstract theory.

2. Takeaway 1: Your Future Competitors Are Your Best Mentors

Here is a highly counter-intuitive strategy: before you do anything else, go seek advice directly from the people who are already succeeding in your field. The core directive is to visit a minimum of two businesses that sell a product or service similar to yours. To foster genuine openness, it's critical to select businesses that are not in your immediate vicinity, ensuring they don't see you as a direct threat.

This direct, honest approach is a powerful tool for gathering real-world intelligence that no market report can provide. Instead of guessing, you can get priceless data by asking pointed questions like: “Where do you get advice to run your business?”, “What unexpected events occurred in your first year, and how did you respond?”, and “How long did it take you to start making a profit?” A candid competitor might even give you the names of the first two or three suppliers you should vet, saving you weeks of research.

The approach is bold, but its effectiveness lies in its transparency. Frame your request exactly like this, being specific about where your new business will be located to build trust:

Tell them that you are visiting them to get advice because you are planning to open a similar business as they have, but not near them.

3. Takeaway 2: Your Idea Is Just an Idea Until 50+ People Validate It

An idea has no value until the market says it does. Before you invest significant time, money, or emotional energy, you must perform rigorous, early-stage customer validation. The rule is simple and non-negotiable: you must survey a minimum of 50 potential customers before proceeding. For maximum insight, track the responses from individual consumers and business customers separately.

This process involves two distinct survey paths. For people who already buy a similar product, you can discover what it would take to make them switch. Ask them: “What would you change about the current product to make it better?” and “How much more would you pay for those changes?” For those who don't currently buy such a product, you can identify what it would take to create a new customer. Ask: “If I provided this service, what features would you need to see?” and “How much would you be willing to pay for it?” This data-driven step is the most reliable way to determine your market size, price points, and feature demand before you've built anything.

4. Takeaway 3: Build a Resilient Business by Vetting Six Suppliers

A brilliant product and a waiting market can be completely undermined by a fragile supply chain. To de-risk your operations from day one, you must proactively vet your suppliers. The directive is to visit at least six potential suppliers for the materials you will need, prioritizing businesses near your town to reduce costs.

Your goal is to emerge with two, and preferably three, vetted suppliers for every critical component of your business. This isn't about finding the single cheapest option; it's about building resilience. To properly vet them, ask: “How do you ensure the quality in your product every time?”, “How do you ensure the product will be available when I need it?”, and “Do you offer price breaks for larger orders, and if so, at what volumes?” This is a crucial safeguard against stock shortages, quality control issues, and price increases—any of which can be fatal for a new business.

5. Conclusion: Action Over Abstraction

The most successful ventures are built on a foundation of reality, not theory. These three steps form an integrated system for de-risking your launch. The intelligence you gather from competitors informs the questions you ask suppliers, while the data from potential customers validates the entire business model. They are all designed to replace abstract planning with concrete action, forcing you to engage with the market, understand your operational realities, and mitigate risk before it materializes.

Instead of dreaming about your launch, what's one piece of data you can go out and collect today?

For information watch the following video click here

 

4 Counter-Intuitive Truths About Business Success I Learned from a Coach Who Failed

In the world of entrepreneurship, the dominant narrative is one of relentless hustle. We're told to grow fast, work harder, and never stop pushing. But what if the most valuable lessons don't come from overnight successes, but from the quiet, often painful, experience of failure?

The most profound business insights I’ve encountered came from an unexpected source: a business coach who learned more from the collapse of his own ventures than from his years of administrative expertise. His journey reveals four surprising truths that challenge the conventional wisdom of "hustle culture" and offer a more sustainable path to building a business that lasts.

1. Chasing Growth Can Kill Your Business. Aim for Scale Instead.

The first lesson dismantles the "growth at all costs" mentality. There is a critical difference between growing your business and scaling it, and confusing the two can be fatal. Growth often means simply adding more—more clients, more work, more complexity, and more costs. It’s a path that can lead to burnout and collapse as the business buckles under its own weight.

Scaling, on the other hand, is about building systems that multiply results without multiplying chaos. It's about designing a business that can handle increased demand efficiently and profitably. The goal isn’t to grow fast; it's to grow strong.

Growth adds more—more clients, more stress, more costs. Scaling means multiplying results without multiplying chaos. Watch out for our soon coming mini series on Growth vs Scaling.

2. That 'Gap' You Feel Isn't a Personal Flaw—It's a Strategy Problem.

Nearly every entrepreneur experiences the feeling of being "stuck." You know where you want to go, but you're overwhelmed by the chasm between your current reality and your future vision. It’s easy to internalize this feeling as a personal flaw—a lack of talent, drive, or capability.

This is a misconception. That feeling isn't about you; it’s about your strategy. The "gap" between where your business is and where you want it to be is a sign of a missing roadmap. The "Bridge the Gap" coaching program is built on this very premise: to help entrepreneurs "close the gap between where they are and where they want to be." This isn't just talk; it's a structured process of clarifying your vision, identifying specific obstacles and resource gaps, and designing a practical action plan. Overwhelm isn't a character defect; it's a symptom of unclear strategy.

3. Your Foundation is More Important Than Your Speed.

The "move fast and break things" mantra of startup culture directly contradicts one of the most fundamental principles of sustainable success. Every great building needs a solid foundation, and the same is true for a business. Chasing sales and rapid expansion without ensuring your core systems can support that growth is a recipe for disaster.

Foundational systems—from clear business planning and financial basics like cashflow management to robust HR and administrative processes—are the essential building blocks for long-term stability. This principle is the core of the Foundations for Success Coaching Program, which is designed to help businesses establish the systems that reduce chaos, improve efficiency, and withstand the inevitable challenges that come with growth. Skipping this crucial step is a primary reason why promising businesses fail, even when they have a great idea.

4. Expertise Can't Replace the Experience of Failure.

The coach’s personal story provides the most powerful lesson of all. For years, he worked as a skilled business administrator, specializing in bookkeeping, payroll, and developing systems for other companies. He had the theoretical knowledge and technical expertise to run a business successfully.

Yet, a powerful paradox emerged when he started his own ventures. He failed, not just once, but in several ventures because he "lacked the right knowledge, resources, and sometimes the family support needed to push through."

Despite my knowledge and skills, when I stepped out to start my own businesses, I failed. ... Those failures, however, became my greatest teachers.

This highlights a profound truth. His failures gave him "first-hand insight into the challenges entrepreneurs face — the sleepless nights, the financial pressure, the constant balancing act." Firsthand experience provides a unique and invaluable form of wisdom and empathy that theory alone cannot offer.

Conclusion: Build Better, Not Just Bigger.

Ultimately, the journey from failure to coaching reveals a central theme: sustainable success comes from building with intention, not just hustle. It’s about creating systems that support your vision and a foundation strong enough to last, guided by the hope that better is possible. Lasting success is built on a simple, powerful pathway: Clarity. Structure. Growth.

As you move forward in your own entrepreneurial journey, consider this: What is one foundational system you could build this week that your future self would thank you for?

 

5 Business Truths That Turn Struggle Into Strategic Advantage

Every entrepreneur starts with a fire—a passion for their vision so intense it feels unstoppable. Yet, the un-discussed reality of the journey is often one of struggle. It’s the paradox of feeling immense purpose while simultaneously being stuck, overwhelmed, or staring down the barrel of failure. The business world is saturated with success stories, but these often gloss over the most critical part of the journey: the messy, chaotic, and challenging middle.

The most powerful lessons in business don’t come from flawless victories. They emerge from understanding the counter-intuitive principles that transform common pain points into profound strengths. The feeling of being stuck isn't a sign to quit; it's a signal to strategize. Operational chaos isn't a mark of incompetence; it's a call to build foundations. Even failure isn't the end—it can be the most valuable asset you own.

This article reveals five impactful takeaways that map the essential stages of that journey, reframing common challenges into opportunities for sustainable growth. By embracing these truths, you can turn your biggest struggles into your most formidable competitive advantages.

1. Your Greatest Failures Can Become Your Greatest Assets

In a world that celebrates relentless success, it’s a difficult truth to accept: personal failure can be a more powerful business asset than a pristine track record. Experience isn't just about what you've achieved; it's about what you've survived and learned. This principle is the foundation of coach Neville Solomon's work. After years as a business administrator, specializing in bookkeeping, payroll, and developing administrative systems for small to medium businesses, he stepped out to launch his own ventures.

Despite his professional expertise, his businesses failed. This firsthand experience with the financial pressure, resource gaps, and sleepless nights that plague entrepreneurs gave him an unparalleled understanding of the real-world challenges his clients face. Instead of being a source of shame, this history of failure became the bedrock of his coaching mission: to help other business owners avoid the very mistakes he made.

Despite my knowledge and skills, when I stepped out to start my own businesses, I failed... Those failures, however, became my greatest teachers. They gave me first-hand insight into the challenges entrepreneurs face.

2. Stop Chasing Growth and Start Building Foundations

The pressure to grow is immense for any new business. Entrepreneurs often get caught up in chasing sales and scaling quickly, believing that more revenue will solve all their problems. However, this approach often leads to a business that is big but brittle. The "Foundations for Success" philosophy argues for a different path: prioritize building stable internal systems before you chase exponential growth.

This means focusing on the essential, often unglamorous, building blocks of a resilient company. Key foundational areas include robust business planning and goal setting; clear administrative and HR systems; a firm grasp of financial basics like budgeting, cashflow, and compliance; and disciplined time management and productivity habits. Without these, rapid growth only amplifies existing chaos.

Think of it like pouring concrete before constructing a house. Without a solid base, your business may grow quickly — but it won’t last. This "boring" work of building systems and processes is the true launchpad for long-term, sustainable success, allowing you to weather storms and create something that endures.

3. Feeling “Stuck” Isn’t a Personal Flaw—It’s a Strategy Gap

Nearly every business owner has experienced the debilitating feeling of being "stuck." It’s a frustrating state of limbo where your vision for the future feels impossibly distant from your current reality. It’s easy to internalize this feeling as a personal flaw—a lack of talent, effort, or motivation. However, the core insight from the "Bridge the Gap" coaching philosophy is that this feeling is rarely personal. It's a strategy gap.

The problem isn't you; it's the absence of a clear path forward. To reframe the problem, you must shift from emotional overwhelm to tactical diagnosis by asking three simple but powerful questions:

1. Where am I now?

2. Where do I want to be?

3. What steps will get me there?

This diagnostic framework, part of a proven coaching model, is incredibly empowering. It transforms a vague, paralyzing feeling into a solvable, logistical problem. "Being stuck" is no longer an identity; it is simply the space between two points. By focusing on creating a step-by-step roadmap, you turn a debilitating feeling into a series of manageable actions that create momentum.

4. The Critical Difference Between Growing and Scaling Your Business

In the entrepreneurial lexicon, the words "growth" and "scaling" are often used interchangeably. This is a critical mistake. While both relate to expansion, they represent fundamentally different concepts with vastly different impacts on your business and your sanity.

Growth is about adding resources at the same rate you add revenue. You get more clients, but you also add more staff, more operational costs, and often, more stress. It’s a linear, additive process.

Scaling, on the other hand, is about increasing revenue without incurring significant new costs. It’s about building systems that multiply results. You’re not just adding more; you’re making what you already have more efficient and impactful.

Growth adds more—more clients, more stress, more costs. Scaling means multiplying results without multiplying chaos.

This distinction is crucial for any established business owner who wants to move beyond survival mode. True scaling is only possible after you’ve built the strong systems discussed in point 2 "Stop Chasing Growth and Start Building Foundations." Business "winners" understand that sustainable success isn't about working harder, but about building resilient systems designed to scale both profit and purpose.

5. Understanding People Isn’t a Soft Skill—It’s a Competitive Advantage

In a world obsessed with metrics, technology, and operational efficiency, understanding human behavior is often dismissed as a "soft skill." This is a profound misjudgment. Tools like the DISC model, which categorizes behavioral styles, are not simple personality tests; they are powerful strategic instruments for leadership and team building.

The DISC model identifies four primary behavioral styles that influence how people work, communicate, and make decisions:

• Dominance (D): Results-driven, confident, and competitive.

• Influence (I): Energetic, persuasive, and sociable.

• Steadiness (S): Patient, dependable, and calming.

• Conscientiousness (C): Precise, analytical, and detail-oriented.

Every organization needs this kind of training for three core reasons: it builds self-awareness (how you work best), other-awareness (how to effectively interact with others), and team-awareness (how to optimize group dynamics). This people-focused knowledge is a hard strategic advantage that leads directly to better communication, increased productivity, reduced conflict, and ultimately, stronger and more effective leadership.

True, sustainable business success is rarely born from a single brilliant idea or a lucky break. It is forged in the deliberate process of building strong systems, learning from inevitable failures, and gaining the strategic clarity to navigate challenges. The struggles that feel like weaknesses—feeling stuck, facing chaos, or recovering from failure—are often the very experiences that contain the blueprints for your greatest strengths.

By reframing these challenges as opportunities to build, strategize, and learn, you move from simply running a business to leading a resilient, thriving enterprise. As you move forward on your own business pathway, ask yourself one question: What if the biggest challenge you face today isn't an obstacle, but the raw material for your next competitive advantage?

You Don’t Need Another Program — You Need a Breakthrough

Let me tell you a truth most people in the startup world won’t say out loud:

You don’t need another course, another checklist, or another YouTube deep dive.
You need a breakthrough — a shift that takes you from trying to actually moving forward.

Because if you’re like most founders, you’re stuck in one (or more) of these states:

🔸 Confusion — too many ideas, too many options, no clear direction.
🔸 Chaos — everything feels urgent, nothing feels organised, you’re constantly reacting.
🔸 Effort with no results — you’re working hard, but it’s not translating into progress or profit.

And that is exactly why I created
Foundations for Success Pathway that support it.

This isn’t about adding more to your plate.
It’s about transforming the way you work so you can finally build with confidence, intention, and momentum.

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✨ The Transformation This Pathway Delivers

From Confusion → Clarity

You’ll learn exactly what to focus on at each stage—from validating your idea, to planning your costs, to executing sustainably.
No more guessing.
No more second-guessing.
Just clear steps, a clear direction, and a clear strategy.

From Chaos → Control

You’ll replace overwhelm with structure.
Every module guides you to build a business system that’s organised, sustainable, and simple enough to actually run.
You'll know what’s happening, why it’s happening, and what comes next.

From Effort → Results

Instead of working harder, you’ll start working smarter.
Your decisions become intentional.
Your plans become actionable.
And your progress becomes measurable.

This isn’t theory you’ll forget — it’s transformation you’ll feel.

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💡 Your Coaching Pathways: Support That Matches Your Stage

People don’t grow at the same pace — so you can choose the level of support you need:

1️⃣ Self-Guided Pathway

Perfect for independent learners who want a clear roadmap.
You get the full 7-module system with tools, templates, and sustainability frameworks that take you from idea to execution.

2️⃣ Supported Coaching Pathway

For founders who want accountability and guidance.
You get everything in the toolkit plus group coaching sessions, feedback, and live support so you always know you’re on the right track.

3️⃣ VIP Deep Dive Pathway

For mission-driven founders ready for acceleration.
You get 1:1 strategy sessions, personalised sustainability planning, tailored business models, and hands-on support to build and launch faster.

No matter which path you choose, the outcome is the same:

✔ clarity
✔ direction
✔ confidence
✔ real results

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🔥 You’re Not Stuck — You’re One Breakthrough Away

You don’t need more information.
You need transformation.
You need structure.
You need direction.
You need support that turns ideas into action and action into results.

And that's exactly why this Pathway exists.

🚀 Ready for Your Breakthrough? It Starts Now.

This is your moment to step out of confusion, chaos, and exhausting effort…
and step into clarity, control, and real results with a business that’s built to last.

Choose Your Pathway and Begin Today:

🔥 Self-Guided Toolkit – Build at your own pace with a proven 7-module framework.
🔥 Coaching Pathway – Get support, accountability, and guided progress.
🔥 VIP Deep Dive – Fast-track your vision with personalised, high-touch coaching.

No more waiting.
No more researching.
No more starting over.

Click below and take the first step toward the breakthrough your business has been missing.

👉 Yes — I’m Ready for Clarity, Control & Results

Your future business isn’t built by hesitation.
It’s built by the decision you make right now.

Let’s create your breakthrough — together. Click to read the full Brochure

Black Friday special 15% Saving when signing up 

 

Equitable Compensation: Why Fair Pay Builds Trust and Employee Engagement View in browser When people think about employee engagement, compensation almost always comes up. But here’s the truth: engagement doesn’t come from competitive pay. Engagement comes from equitable pay. Competitive pay means outbidding every other employer. Equitable pay means employees believe they’re being paid fairly for the work they do and the value they deliver. And that belief—more than the size of the paycheck—is what builds trust, loyalty, and long-term commitment. Why Equitable Compensation > Competitive Pay Competitive pay is a race you can’t win. If your only strategy is “we pay more than the company next door,” someone else will eventually outbid you. This game is especially impossible for small businesses. Equitable pay is different. It communicates fairness and consistency. It says: We’ve benchmarked your role. We’ve tied pay to responsibilities and value. We apply the same standards consistently. Employees rarely leave just because of an extra dollar elsewhere. They leave when they feel undervalued, cheated, or ignored. The Emotional Side of Equitable Pay Pay isn’t just math—it’s a message. Every paycheck carries emotional meaning: Dignity: “Your work is worth this.” Value: Compensation tied to contribution, not favoritism or negotiation skills. Justice: Leadership that plays fair and treats people equally. When employees believe pay is equitable, they trust leadership. That trust drives engagement far more than any signing bonus. How Transparency Builds Perceived Fairness Even if your system is balanced, employees won’t trust it unless they understand it. Transparency builds credibility. Benchmark roles: Compare to industry and regional standards, then explain your pay decisions. Explain the process: Show how raises, promotions, and reviews connect to pay. Stay consistent: Avoid favoritism or hidden deals. 👉 Remember: Employees talk about pay. If fairness is missing, trust evaporates. Creative Ways to Compensate Fairly in Small Businesses You don’t need Silicon Valley salaries to practice equitable pay. What matters is alignment between contribution and reward. Consider: Flexibility: Remote options, flexible schedules, family-friendly policies. Growth investment: Training, certifications, and career development. Non-cash perks: Profit-sharing, wellness stipends, extra vacation days. Purpose alignment: In businesses, meaningful work is often valued as much as money. The win isn’t in out-spending competitors. It’s in out-thinking them. Real-Life Example: Pay Equity in Action A company had sky-high turnover. Exit interviews revealed the problem: “I don’t feel valued.” Leadership assumed the answer was higher salaries. But the real issue was inequity. New hires had negotiated higher pay, while long-term employees lagged behind for the same role. The fix? Leadership conducted a pay equity audit. They leveled salaries based on role and value, raised some wages, and froze others until balance was restored. Then they communicated the process openly. The result: turnover dropped by half, morale improved, and employees began referring friends. The culture shifted—not because of higher pay, but because of fair pay. Final Word: Pay Is Communication Every paycheck tells a story. Competitive pay says: “We’re playing the market game.” Equitable pay says: “We respect you. We value you. We’re in this together.” For leaders, equitable compensation isn’t just good HR—it’s fair pay which reflects values of dignity, justice, and honesty. It strengthens trust, loyalty, and engagement all at once. Fair pay builds trust. Trust builds loyalty. Loyalty builds impact. That’s the kind of return every leader should want. If you need assistance in bench marking your positions, or implement FAIRPAY, cont us on +27 83 417 0319, email, nevillesol@icloud.com

💡 You’ve worked hard, but results still feel unpredictable. 

The Feeling Thabo had been pouring his energy into his business for three years. Early mornings, late nights, endless hustle. He’d done everything he thought a successful entrepreneur should do — networked, marketed, hired, and even took a few online courses. Yet somehow, the results never felt consistent. Some months looked great — customers came in, sales picked up — but then suddenly, everything went quiet again. He started to wonder: “Am I doing something wrong, or is this just how business is?” 

The Turning Point When Thabo finally sat down with a business coach, something shifted. They didn’t talk about working harder — they talked about working clearer. Together, they unpacked his business model, reviewed his systems, and discovered that his biggest issue wasn’t effort — it was alignment. His marketing didn’t match his message. His team didn’t fully understand the goals. And his systems couldn’t support consistent growth. 

Once they started closing those gaps: 

✅ creating structure, 

✅ defining measurable goals, and 

✅ tracking progress — he noticed something incredible: results became predictable. 

The Lesson Thabo’s story is like many entrepreneurs’ — effort isn’t the problem; structure is. If you’ve been working hard but still feel like your success depends on luck, it might be time to step back and assess what’s missing in your foundation. That’s why we created the “Foundations for Success” program under TIKVAH Pathways — to help business owners turn their hard work into repeatable results. Because when effort meets structure, momentum becomes inevitable. 

Call to Action (for newsletter or video outro): 🔗 Ready to build predictable success? Join our next coaching intake — or start with a free business assessment to see where your foundation needs strengthening. Book your 30 minute free session here: https://www.pzshort.link/cBtyZCIE2F

To read more about the Foundations for Success see the link on the right.

The Foundation of Your Business

Before You Build — Lay the Right Foundation

 You can’t scale a business that’s built on guesswork.

“Every skyscraper begins underground. The higher you want to rise, the deeper your foundation must go.”

✨ Building on Vision, Structure, and Clarity

Every successful business begins with a clear vision — a picture of where you’re going and why it matters. But vision alone isn’t enough. Without structure, even the best ideas crumble under daily chaos. Structure gives your business rhythm and repeatability — it’s how you move from “busy” to “productive.” And clarity of operations is what connects your people, systems, and goals into one focused direction. When entrepreneurs align vision with structure and clarity, they stop reacting to problems and start leading with purpose. That’s the foundation every lasting business is built on.

💡 Foundations for Success: More Than Coaching

Foundations for Success isn’t about coaching for the sake of coaching — it’s about building a business that can survive growth. Many entrepreneurs start with passion but struggle when opportunity comes too fast or systems fall behind. This program helps you put the right structure, processes, and mindset in place before growth happens, so your business can expand without breaking. It’s not about motivation; it’s about preparation — creating a foundation strong enough to sustain success long after the excitement fades.

 "Unprecedented results are preceded by unprecedented preparation" - Unknown

 If you’re constantly firefighting, your foundation isn’t solid

🧱 Is Your Business Foundation Solid?

Check yourself against these signs:

✅ You spend more time fixing problems than planning ahead.
✅ Your team depends on you for every decision.
✅ Sales are growing, but profits aren’t.
✅ Systems exist — but only in your head.
✅ You can’t step away without things slowing down.
✅ You react to issues instead of anticipating them.

If you checked three or more, your business is growing on cracks — not concrete. Foundations for Success helps you repair that before scaling. Join our next Foundations webinar and build a business that won’t crumble when growth hits.

https://us10.list-manage.com/contact-form?u=78294c3c0fc0f035021a541cd&form_id=70ca875e9d7fe636451fabf585e4d99a 

For more on our coaching programs see the menu on the right.

Take advantage of our free session by book one by clicking on the picture.