AppThink

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'More than a building': Shaping Innovation Depot's past, present and future Today, the depot is known for its impact, but here's how it began and where new partnerships may take the incubator.

The most successful startups don't just focus on creating a flashy product, but on solving real problems for their customers.

It's all about making a difference for your buyers…not just making a sale. solving

It’s been a marathon week of building alongside dozens of high-potential founders. 🚀

For ALL new founders, the earliest stages of building a startup is like driving at night. 👇

You might not be able to see further than your headlights—but you can make the whole trip home that way.

And that’s what sets apart…

They aren’t spooked by the unknowns. 👻

They keep driving.

Theft is a myth, you read that right! You don’t have to keep your ideas guarded under 🔒 and 🔑

We know sharing your ideas with others can be difficult, even terrifying at times. But your idea is just the first step.

Worrying about someone stealing it is like worrying that someone else will take the credit for finishing a race for you after the first step.

If you shelter your ideas forever, they’ll never have an opportunity to grow, or fail. You won’t be able to learn enough about them to decide to move them forward or move on to the next.

Getting your ideas out into the light of day is the best way to start learning 🌱

…and the second, third, and fourth time.

Building a startup is an undertaking no matter how many times you have (or haven’t) done it.

No matter your experience here are three rules of thumb that apply to anyone, at any stage:

📞Talk to your potential customers daily...
If daily isn’t possible, shoot for weekly. Always have your ear to the ground listening to your customers needs.

🛠Earn the right to build a solution...
Start ideating a solution only when you’ve engaged your potential customers about the problem/opportunity.

🔎Commit to the process. Detach from the outcome…
In the early days of a startup things change quickly. Learning is continuous, your thinking is constantly evolving and your original assumptions are likely to change. Embrace it!

Your competition: an enemy🛡️ or an asset🤝?

All of your competitors contain valuable data points, and if you’re not researching them, you’re leaving valuable insights on the table.

When you start researching your competitors, make sure you know the type of competitors they are to understand how they relate to your business (hint: directly or indirectly).

Sometimes all you need is a new perspective 🌄

Cue your AppThink community! Expert instructors and fellow cohort members bring a breadth of different experiences to help you explore and validate your product ideas.

Learn about our courses, find templates, and hear from other AppThinkers in our bio 🔗

If we’ve said it once we’ve said it a thousand times, zero ➡️ one work is hard.

But said it best. Focusing on problem solving and idea validation helped her bring to fruition.

And her last takeaway? “Do it!”

Foundations is more than half way done and the cohort work sessions are where the ✨ happens.

From decreasing carbon footprints to narrowing the digital divide in rural communities to increasing patronage of small businesses; these founders are and increasing their odds of success.

How?

By understanding their target customer’s needs and uncovering the opportunities. 🔎

Hop on our waiting list to learn more about upcoming Foundations by AppThink courses. Link in bio 🔗

AppThink: Turn Your Idea Into A Business Turn your idea into a business! Sign up for our 3-week intensive course to transform your idea into a business.

Turning an idea into a startup can be equally challenging and overwhelming - we know, we’ve been there. That’s part of why we created AppThink

*Expert-led
*Cohort-based
*Actionable guidance
*No fuss. Just progress.

Avoid the mistakes your competitors will make by focusing on the foundations now, rather than later (pun always intended 🎯).

Register for our next Foundations cohort which kicks off Monday, June 27 - July 11! Link in bio! 🔗
www.appthink.io

…and the first step is ideation.

Bring all of your ideas 💡 + your imagination to our next ideation session on June 14 @ 5pm - 7pm at .

You’ll learn:
-how to ideate quickly
-how to produce LOTS of ideas in a short amount of time
-participate in one of our favorite exercise that’s guaranteed to help get your imagination and inspiration going

Register via the link in bio 🔗

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/launch-101-how-to-come-up-with-good-ideas-tickets-355234635357?aff=erelexpmlt