For this year’s update and publication of the Italian ecosystem map, I allowed myself a different creative exercise than the usual articles I have written in the past.
The entrepreneurial adventure is often denoted in its epic sense as fascinating, exciting and even noble. But anyone who has travelled this road knows that it is hard work and, alas, not always as lyrical as one imagines. It is chaos. It is a series of small battles, most of which you fight in your head, thinking or fearing that you will lose most of them. The real game is not just about strategy, finance or execution: it is about understanding yourself, managing your demons and learning to play the game for the long term.
I have often found that when I am stuck, whether in business or in life, it helps to break things down into simple terms. So I started writing this alphabet, letter by letter, to see where it led me. If nothing else, it proves one thing: when in doubt, just get started. Here is my personal take on the entrepreneurial journey, one letter at a time.
A stands for … Ah, this is the hardest. So many things start with A-Antipathic, Asshole Aspiration, Ambition, Alpha. I couldn’t make up my mind. So what did I do? I started writing. Not to be deep, not to be perfect, but just to get on with it. The trick to breaking writer’s block, or any block, is momentum. As long as you start, things will fall into place. If you’re reading this, it means that either I liked it so much that I left it as is, or I simply never stopped on a word. Your choice.
B stands for Baggage. You are what you are. You are what life has made you. My childhood was not always easy and things at home were sometimes hard to digest. As a teenager I hated my family, I think most teenagers struggling with troubled dynamics do. But as an adult I thank them (almost) every day. Every scar, every struggle, every hard lesson. That was my training ground. That baggage is not just weight; it’s fuel, which you have to know how to use.
The problem with baggage is that you can either let it weigh you down or you can learn to use it. Every entrepreneur I admire has a story, a defining difficulty that has shaped him or her. It could be failure, rejection, poverty or even trauma. But the best ones don’t let the past define them; they exploit it. They turn pain into wisdom, fear into fuel. You don’t need a clean slate to get started. You just have to accept where you come from and make peace with it.
C is for customers. Customers should actually start with the letter A because that is where it all begins. No customers, no business. It’s as simple as that. You might have the best product, the brightest idea, the most revolutionary service, but if nobody wants it, you’re just talking to yourself. Learn to listen before you speak.
There is a trap many new entrepreneurs fall into: they build themselves up. They focus on what they want to do instead of what people need. Your ego doesn’t pay the bills. Your customers do. The sooner you stop thinking about your vision and start thinking about your problems, the sooner you will build something that matters.
D stands for dopamine. I am reading Dopamine Nation: Why our Addiction to Pleasure is Causing us Pain by Anna Lembke. Dopamine is what drives us to pursue things, whether it is to make a good impression in front of women, to prove something to someone who doubted us or to relive the ghosts of our past. This is where the journey begins. But here’s the twist: real success is not just about the chase, but about rewiring that addiction to things that matter, like solving real problems for real customers.
We are predisposed to short-term rewards. Quick wins, social validation, that race for success. But business, real business, is about playing the long game. It’s about resisting the dopamine rush of easy distractions and staying focused on what really makes a difference. The best entrepreneurs are not just chasing highs; they are building something that lasts.
E is for Empathy. I talk a lot about empathy, and for good reason. Business is human. If you can’t understand people – what they feel, what they fear, what they need – you won’t get far. Your product, your service, your proposal – everything exists to solve someone’s problem. If you cannot feel their pain, you cannot solve it.
Empathy is not just about being ‘nice’. It is a strategy. It means knowing your audience so well that you anticipate their needs before they even express them. It is the difference between a company that just sells and a company that connects. And in the long run, connection always wins.
F stands for Finish Line. I was a young military school student, struggling with everything. Missing home, flunking exams, feeling lost. Then one day my father told me something I have never forgotten: “Andrea, my son, don’t worry, thoroughbreds are recognised at the finish line”.
It doesn’t matter how messy the centre is. It doesn’t matter how many times you stumble along the road. What matters is crossing that damn line.
Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint. The middle will always be bad. There will be doubts, failures, pivots, moments when you want to give up. But the only thing that really matters is if you keep going. Those who win are not necessarily the smartest or the most talented. They are the ones who refuse to stop.
This is only the first part of the alphabet. And just like in business, I don’t know exactly where the next letters will take me. But one thing is certain: there is always more to explore. Let’s move on.
Andrea T. Orlando – partner Startup Wise Guys Italy
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ©