9 Critical Mistakes That Can Kill Most Startup Businesses

By Larry Alton

While many startup businesses are filled with bright-eyed company evangelicals, the reality is that the odds are against you. Harvard Business School researcher Shikhar Ghosh found that 75 percent of all startups fail, which means that new companies have to rise up with caution if they plan to survive the first few years. This translates to running on a budget even when your productivity and sales are booming, ignoring deadly business fads, and taking fewer risks. These dire statistics shouldn't scare entrepreneurs away from new business ventures, but they should help us rethink our current approach to startup management. With new tech companies blossoming and wilting in cities like San Francisco, Seattle, and Cambridge, it's easy for startup founders to get discouraged. Take a look at these massive mistakes new companies make and learn to avoid them early.