Starting a business is a wild ride, isn't it? As founders, we're not just launching products, we're building dreams from the ground up. And let's be real – this journey comes with its own set of challenges.

Is our target market willing to pay large enough? Will our MVP be ready in time? How do we prove our credibility to customers and investors? How do we protect our IP?

Every founder hopes that the list of questions gets shorter every day, but the reality is often quite different. The further you go, the more you get on your shoulders and you really understand the value of having it the right people and mindset in your business.

With the right team and attitude, you can overcome any obstacle that comes your way. In this article, I want to share my observations on what makes a great startup mindset, so you can spot the right people when hiring or supporting those already on your team to continue development.

Related: The 5 Biggest Challenges Our Startup Culture Must Overcome

1. Choose what is not visible

Sometimes, we still follow old beliefs. We are impressed by years of experience, deep technical skills or shiny resumes. Instead focus on the traits that will build the team and make it capable of bringing the idea to life. The team that becomes so invested in the project that it seems like it's their idea, having one sense of ownership and commitment.

So what should startups prioritize? I typically recommend a founding team focus on these three simple principles:

1. Choose motivation over expertise.
2. Choose soft skills over hard skills.
3. Choose honesty over experience.

Related: 7 Steps to Building a Winning Sales Culture

2. How good are we at learning, really?

My favorite trait that sets successful startup founders and their teams apart is their boldness in decision making. They are not afraid to take action, experiment and take risks. They tend to regret not having done something more than acting on opportunities.

That's what I respect, but the most important part happens later if something goes wrong – they treat it as a learning experience. They take time to reflect with their teams, draw conclusions and rethink their course of action.

When I work with startups, I always remind them to move quickly from idea to reality. The more ideas you test, the faster you learn and the further ahead you are in the race. Whether you face a setback or not, make sure you take time to reflect your successes and failuresbig and small. Consider also blocking time in your calendar for this purpose.

3. If you're not sure, just ask

Sometimes, I see how founders seek investment at the wrong stage of their development. Their ideas are interesting, but still need improvement: the finances are unclear, the go-to-market strategy is not clear, and the use cases are not fully developed.

In these situations, I always recommend not to be embarrassed getting as much expert advice as possible as much as possible. Participate in accelerator programs, join business incubators and find mentors. There are so many people who genuinely want to help ambitious individuals thrive.

The best thing is that they can give you an objective opinion about your project and every part of it. They won't be biased because they just don't share the same passion for your startup. Instead, their passion lies in helping you identify limitations and opportunities you may be overlooking.

So asking for advice is okay. Not doing it slows you down.

Related: Asking for help can be the key to the success of your business

4. Love with your heart, but keep your head in the game

This may sound counterintuitive, but a fairly common problem is when founders find their business idea and are very protective of it. Often also in defense.

It's good when you have an idea and act on it, but when starting a business, you need to be sure not only about the idea, but also about its potential and scalability. Don't miss the crucial stage of analysis and research – market volumecustomer acquisition cost, financial projections… If there is a giant in the industry, maybe you should solve a very specific problem for a specific audience instead of creating a similar product that differs only by one feature (which is not even a differentiation).

Maintain an open-minded attitude within your team as you progress in your development. Facing reality – not running away from it – should be your team's mantra. Keep track of what potential customers are actually saying about your product, the results of your MVP testing, and how the market is changing. If you don't see a request, don't be afraid to scroll.

Letting go of an idea is hard, but if you don't, you can miss out on what people really need.