Frank Cava runs a vastly profitable and growing real estate business. But when he left a cushy executive job in 2010, he had an old truck, a couple of townhome rentals in Charlottesville, and plenty of free time. In this episode, we explore what Frank might have done differently when starting his business, based on what he knows today.
- Frank’s first advice for startup founders – Find somewhere to go every day and get out of your house
- Set up regular business expenses to motivate you to find revenue
- Don’t discount your experiences just because they happened at a large company
- How quickly should you hire employees?
- How Frank would think differently about finances if starting over
- You are not really in business until you can consistently generate and convert leads
- What the first months feel like when you leave a big company to start your own thing (what really happens)
- The only type of people you should take advice from when you start
- Why it is easier for others to see your problems than seeing them yourself as a startup founder
- Enjoy the slow moments when you are starting out (you will miss them)
- Pace is less important than direction when starting a business
- “Do for a decade what others won’t and you will live the rest of your life the way others can’t”
