This document discusses common hurdles that entrepreneurs face and provides strategies to overcome them. It identifies four main hurdles: having the wrong expectations about entrepreneurship, weak commitment, focusing on the wrong priorities, and being ego-controlled. To succeed, entrepreneurs must align their mindset and see opportunities rather than obstacles. They should follow their "magic" or subconscious reaction that sees possibilities rather than pain or problems when facing new situations.

1. BOILING SUCCESSFUL
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
DOWN TO “ONE THING”
A Journey Through Common Startup
Hurdles
+Chris Mohritz | chris@mohritz.co

2. THE ONE THING
Care to venture a guess?

3. A QUESTION FOR IRV THE ORACLE

4. OUR JOURNEY
● Where did this come from?
● 4 common hurdles & misconceptions
● Net it out
● How does it apply?
feel free to interrupt me with questions / comments anytime

5. BACKGROUND
Where did this come from?

6. MY HUMBLE OPINION
● The world needs more entrepreneurs
● Too many startups fail to thrive
My experience:
● 90% do nothing or near nothing
● 5% do enough to get by
● 3% do enough to stay ahead of the 5%
● 2% excel
This presentation is aimed at people in or
want to be in the 2%

7. ALIGNING BLOCKS OF SUCCESS
● Creates a point of reference for putting the
startup process into perspective
● Provides achievable chunks

8. MINDSET OVER PRODUCT
● “Entrepreneurship is 90% execution, 10%
idea”
● Investors place much higher importance on
the quality of entrepreneur vs. quality of
product
● How many great ideas never get anywhere?

10. TODAY’S GOAL
● Help align mindset “elements of success”
● Exploring some of the most common
hurdles I see
youtu.be/gCg_XZ7569A

11. BARRIERS TO SUCCESS
Common hurdles & misconceptions

12. HURDLE #1: WRONG
EXPECTATIONS

13. THE BANDWAGON IS ROLLING
● Has become trendy to be an entrepreneur
● Not everyone is cut out for startup
● Many different theories and paths to follow
● Plenty of misconceptions
● Entrepreneurship: volunteering to
overcome unnecessary obstacles*
* - derived from: venturebeat.com/2011/01/20/game-guru-jane-mcgonigal-says-gamification-
should-be-hard-not-easy/

14. COULDN’T RESIST...

15. SERVING A NEED
● “Incubators” cropping up everywhere
● Most just go through the motions
● Startup Incubator: passive access to
resources & education
● Startup Accelerator: more structured &
result-oriented incubator
● Startup Bootcamp: immersive accelerator
● Coworking spaces: shared office
* - none of these are clearly defined at present, everyone has their own version (mostly marketing
spin)

16. Do they teach theory? Or are they a sherpa?
● Education-centered ● Momentum-centered
● Knowledge milestones ● Result milestones
● Consider this ● Do this
KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GETTING
Learn how an engine works Learn how to drivevs.

17. HURDLE #2: WEAK COMMITMENT

18. PAYING THE DUES
"Do today what others are unwilling to do, and
you'll get the things others can't have tomorrow."
~Jordan Belfort
● Put in the hours
● Learn the new skills
● Do the grunt work

19. HIDDEN COMMITMENTS
● The art of self-sabotage
● Self-talk (“I hate technology”, etc.)
● Fear of success

20. RESILIENCE
“Everybody has a plan until they get punched in
the mouth.”
~Mike Tyson
● Risk tolerance
● Confidence in your abilities
● Lack of follow-through

21. HURDLE #3: EYE ON WRONG BALL

22. "The purpose of business is not to make money,
it's to monetize value.”
~Jordan Belfort
● Putting money before value creation
● Falling in love with your product
MISALIGNED PRIORITIES

23. OBVIOUS DOESN’T MEAN CORRECT

24. HURDLE #4: EGO-CONTROLLED

25. BLOCKING INPUT
● “I’m right” dependency
● Distorts entire decision-making process
Note:
● Ego-controlled (bad)
● Ego-driven (good)

26. SINATRA SYNDROME
● “I did it my way”
● Trying to force an idea into the market
● Extremely difficult path today (expensive,
slow-moving, etc.)
● Customers drive the ship now (social
media, more options, etc.)

27. THE BLAME GAME
● Side-stepping responsibility
● Knee-jerk finger-pointing
● Excuse machine

28. GETTING TO THE ROOT
Net it out

29. WHAT’S AT THE CORE?

30. THE ORACLE ANSWERS
"You're looking for
obstacles rather than
looking for magic."
~Irv
The “One Thing”...
Subconscious Perspective

31. ● Seeing the opportunity through the
hurdles
● Focusing on the correct goal
● Living "I'm an entrepreneur, I don't do
normal"
● (Real) commitment to the right goal
● Vision to see past the hurdles
● Understanding your options and taking
advantage of available resources
WHAT IS MAGIC?

32. What is your immediate (subconscious)
reaction to a new situation?
● Opportunity, or
● Pain
Example: When first walk into a “fixer-upper”
house, what do you see?
● All the possibilities, or
● All the headaches
VERY SUBTLE, VERY REVEALING

33. TO SUM IT UP...
Follow the magic

34. Feedback?
Questions?
chris@mohritz.co