Gary Ong | February 8th, 2022

I’ve been asked this question many times before: “what’s the one thing I can do right now to prepare for starting a company?” Some would say take business classes, take an internship at an existing startup, or just read voraciously about everything so that good ideas can come to you. These are all great advice, but I believe that the most important thing someone can do before starting a company is to build character.

By character, I am not speaking of a resume filled with degrees and accolades. Character is who you are. It defines why you do the things you do. It also defines the things you will never do. Character is important because there are no checks and balances at the beginning. Investors, employees, stakeholders, and customers are all signing up to support the company based only on your word. They are all counting on you to do what’s right and to know not to cross lines even when there are no rules, little regulation, and almost no boundaries. In other words, they are signing up because they trust you. Build character so that you don’t betray that trust.

Character is also important because all the defining elements of a startup stem from character. For starters, startups inherit the character of its people. We call that culture; it’s important to get right, and the founder has an outsized effect on it. The company’s mission and vision – the ‘why’ behind everything – also originate from character: it’s easy to say you want to change the world. It’s harder to know why you want to do it.

So, if you’re not starting a startup yet, and you want to prepare for that eventuality, my advice to you is this: build character. Know who you are before you begin.

Image credit: Sage Friedman