When it comes to building a startup, its not just the idea that counts. Your idea should be good of course, but its far from everything. Even a great idea doesn’t equal future success.

Execution is far more important.

Which is why your team is so important. Are you right people to pull this off?

A good mix of past experience and raw talent is important. They help you have the confidence to step into the role you are now have to play. They help you put people in the team into the right positions.

I honestly think Malcolm is the most talented app developers around, and I think I am the one of the most talented business minds around, especially in relation to business strategy and strategic moves.

But, that only gets us in the door. That only helps shape our roles. It says nothing of how well DineMob will do.

We have to execute.

Execution

Execution really comes down to three things: passion, hustle, and an open mind.

There seems to be one alumnus in particular with a certain aura of respect about him in the Tech Wildcatters headquarters, and that’s TK Stohlman of FanPrint. From what I gathered just from his speeches and anecdotes on an alumni speaker panel here at TW a few weeks ago, is the dude pretty much embodies passion and hustle.

Passion comes first. You have to believe in the idea and have that passion for it. You have to want it succeed. Passion is the quality that drives people to do something “crazy” by others’ standards: like leaving a 6 figure job to start a new company and take $0 in salary for months to get things up and running, or like flying halfway around the world and setting up shop in a new city at the drop of a dime, because you feel like “I need to be here. For this. Right now.”

Passion drives hustle. Nobody hustles for something they don’t really believe in.

 

The hustle is key

Here’s a quick humble brag: I graduated in the top 10% of my MBA class at Hult in 2012.

But, it gets more interesting.

At least 50% of our grades throughout the whole program came from team projects. The other 50% came from individual projects.

I’ve seen plenty of smart people go through that program and make excellent grades on individual assignments (exams, papers), but fail to graduate in the top 10%. Their most common excuse: they were on “weak teams” (they had weak teammates).

That’s not the case for me. My situation is almost the opposite.

My individual grades during my MBA program (exams, papers) were good, but often not great.

My team grades carried me into the top 10%. My teams always finished at or near the top of every class project.

In every class. Different teammates. Still at or near the top.

I’d like to think of myself as the common denominator here. Maybe I am. Or maybe I just got lucky and had great teammates.

The truth is: I hustled, and busted my ass for every team I worked on, led by example, and my teammates did the same.

Throughout the MBA program, no matter which course, my teams were often the last to leave the building.

We worked hard.

Now, at the helm of DineMob, here at Tech Wildcatters, I’m seeing similar scripts play out.

Investors, mentors, advisors, other teams, staff here at TW…. I’m starting to feel it: an air of respect, and notion that DineMob is at the top of their minds, and they are on board with what we are doing.

It’s the same kind of respect a white belt in jiu jitsu gets when he steps on the mat with a black belt and shows he’s willing to hustle and he’s willing to learn.

It gets noticed. It gets respect.

But, even more than that, it gets results…

 

– William Peregoy

co-Founder @DineMob