Use an Israeli mindset when building a startup.

Disclaimer: This isn't a piece on politics. There’s plenty of that floating around in the media. This is about the perseverance and determination of a small country desperate to survive while all odds are against it, and how you can apply their dedication to survival to the success and development of your startup.

A rocky start. 

In the first several phases of a startup’s establishment, people won’t believe in you or support you because you’re small, you have nothing to show for yourself. It may even knock you so far down that you completely lose sight of why you started. Luckily, we have some tips for this, too. 

If there’s anything to learn from Israel’s existence, it’s that even if it feels like the entire world is against you (or if they actually are), you cannot let their actions destroy your dreams and aspirations for success. You have to be convinced to the core that your product, service or even country is legitimate, and you’ll win with dedication and determination in each battle.

Pushing through.

Despite what terrors they face, and continue to face daily, they always persevere and come out stronger. Whether it’s a war, death of a soldier in the army, or a civil war among the country’s religions, Israel has pretty much seen it all (unfortunate but true). And yet, they continue to go on with their daily lives, refusing to live in fear that the rest of the world condemns and blames them for existing.

Israel faces battles every second. Whether it’s between surrounding countries, within its own borders, or among its very own people who call this place home, there is always scuttle brewing somewhere. Does this keep citizens from living their daily life and going about as usual? No, and you mustn't either. If people try to destroy you and your ideas, do not give them the satisfaction to consider their opinion. Keep pushing forward, no matter what.

What people often forget is the existence of assistance. There is always help nearby. In Israel, people call upon their neighbors for help. The Israeli government sends a text message to all the population for them to reach for free mental support. Can you believe it?

Startups, well, they don’t call anyone. But see, that’s the problem. Help from marketing, digital, and communication agencies is right under your nose. Allow them to help you succeed. Not only because they’re professionals, but because they exist to support you in every way possible.

Unfortunately for small companies without a reputable name,  huge companies often try to steal the young geniuses' ideas, or the revolutionary technology of a small startup. We hope this blog post finds you well and helps you get inspired when your ambitions are threatened.

The size of a country or company doesn't mean. anything about its potential, its talent, or legitimacy to combat huge forces. Remember this when you’re doubting yourself and your endeavors.

Creativity in emergency situations.

Israel is known for always being in a rush. A rush to get your groceries before it closes, a rush to get to a meeting because of the traffic, or a rush to defend yourself from rocket attacks, etc. The thing is that, in an emergency situation, you don’t have the time to think and doublethink, you have to act, quickly otherwise you’re dead. 

In entrepreneurship, it’s pretty much the same. You don’t have the luxury to take your time. What we truly admire about Israel is its creativity when it comes to solving problems. They won’t go from A to Z. They will go from A to C to F to X to Z. And that freedom of being creative gives them amazing results. They always push their ideas and brains to their limits and you would be surprised to see what they come up with to defend themselves. 

Educate yourself. 

This is arguably the most important lesson. How can you make a point, prove something or explain something without proper education on the subject? By proper education, we are not referring to an institution such as a university. We are referring to the understanding of your surroundings. Know your surroundings, and you’ll be able to use them to your advantage. The Israeli state is, even if we can’t always feel it, is actually super organized. You always have a Ph.D. expert nearby to assist you on the topic, paired with a developer and a marketing specialist (usually a PR specialist in the army). This organization is also present in the military. You will find the same organization system in Israel’s military that you will in a startup. An expert in whatever field you need expertise in, a developer to help curate the plans, a specialist to help get the word out about your plans, and so on. 

While educating yourself for your own benefit is incredibly important for your success, educating yourself about other cultures, places, businesses, etc. is crucial as well. You will never be able to compete and succeed past another until you know everything about them. Learn about your competitors, their weaknesses, what they do right and wrong, and use it to your advantage. 

Diversify your team.

Only 8 million people live in Israe: jews, muslims, christians, druzes, and of course atheists. In a military unit, you'll find a lot of different profiles and origins. Men and women from different backgrounds collaborate intensely. This level of diversity in a team is gold when it comes to finding solutions and being effective. Each and every point of view is a source of information. We take pride in the fact that our marketing agency's team is diversified. Our profiles come from all over the world and we can assure you that our brainstorming sessions are always "spicy".

Your competitor will do everything to take you down.

The media will talk about Israel and spread hateful, inaccurate information. This can happen to anyone. Slander, propaganda, etc. are all things Israel had to and still has to deal with. But they continue to defend themselves with pride. 

Every person in the world has heard about Israel, one way or another and it’s completely fair to say that the country’s reputation in the media hasn’t always been very positive. Choices that Israelis and their government have made over the years have disappointed the entire world. However, that hasn’t stopped them from growing and continuing to defend themselves. 

The state of Israel has always tried to market itself, for the most part, as a country trying to keep itself afloat in a pool of countries that want to watch it drown. That being said, the people who live here never forget how lucky they are to be here, in the first place. Every day is a celebration. It should be for you, too. 

We leave you with this: do not let fear get in the way.

If Israel had allowed fear to be a determining factor for the win in their fight for existence, the country would not exist today. Even if fear is felt, it is not factored into their action. They don't have a choice. They just do what they have to in order to survive.

As an entrepreneur, team, business person, you must be strong in order for your business to strive. But as a human, you must use your fear to your advantage: recognize that you aren’t invincible, and continue fighting anyway. 

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“You will always grow through what you go through” -Tyrese Gibson