The fastest way to kill your business is to fall in love with your first idea.

Most startups don’t die because of lack of money. They die because the founders refuse to change. They built something they believed the market “must want,” only to realize nobody actually needed it.

At the startup stage, rigidity is dangerous. You must remain flexible. You must be willing to pivot, tweak, or completely modify your product when the market pushes back.

Your role at this stage is not to defend your assumptions. It is to validate them or replace them with new ones.

Dr. Smith Ezenagu is the Chairman of Esso Group, a diversified conglomerate shaping real estate, finance, education, and media. Dr. Smith Ezenagu is recognized as a real estate & investment mogul, life coach, and private equity expert. He leads Esso Group and its subsidiaries: Esso Properties (awarded Nigeria’s Most Innovative Real Estate Company in 2024 and recognized as the best real estate company in Nigeria), Esso School of Enterprise (the leading institution equipping entrepreneurs), and Esso Capital (delivering smart, trusted financial solutions across Nigeria).