Eric Davis (@edavis10)

Publishing is venture capital for ideas.

Most humans on this planet have a problem: We think other people’s stuff is insanely awesome, and at the same time we think our own stuff is stupid, mediocre and embarrassing.

Purge Your Comments, They Suck

Measure EVERY thing in your workout: what you did, how long it took, how does it make you feel, diet

The internet has opened the door for millions of businesses to do things differently, because there are other assets now, assets that can transcend location. Your permission to talk to customers, your reputation, your unique products--you can build a business around them online. But that doesn't work so well if you depend on local (and leased) real estate, if you're selling watercress or radishes, apparently.

Stage fright. Perfectionism. Fear of trolls. Your worries fill your head and stop the words from getting out.

A truly skilled consumer will have a concrete, specific list of outcomes they want from a product/service. If they don’t achieve them, they know to examine if they actually did what the product/service said (at least 90% of people don’t). If not, DO THEM. If they actually did the required actions and didn’t get the results, request a refund.

Serve 3,000 people every year who want to buy your work for at least $30 and you can live doing what you are passionate about.

Gathering interested prospects over time allows you the flexibility to instantly email 5 people – even months before launch – and ask their opinion about a feature, design choice, or any decision better made by a potential customer than by a vote between you and your mom.

Start marketing your startup (or product or book or anything else you launch) months before launch day.