• Instructor: Barbara Wolff
• Lectures: 32
• Students: 134009
• Duration: 20 weeks

This course synthesizes the core principles and critical insights from John Bradberry’s “6 Secrets to Startup Success.” The central thesis posits that entrepreneurial passion is a double-edged sword: while it is the essential fuel for any new venture, unchecked passion can lead to critical misjudgments and ultimately, failure. This phenomenon is termed the “Passion Trap,” a self-reinforcing spiral of beliefs and actions that blinds founders to market realities and business fundamentals. The trap manifests through six primary negative impacts: Founder Misalignment, Missing the Market, Rose-Colored Planning, an Unforgiving Strategy, a Reality Distortion Field, and an Evaporating Runway.

The solution is not to diminish passion but to channel it productively through elevated awareness and preparation, a state described as “earned optimism.” The book outlines six foundational principles to navigate the startup journey successfully:

1. Founder Readiness: Success begins with the founder. It requires a clear understanding of one’s purpose, goals, skills, personality, and needs to ensure alignment with the venture’s demands.
2. Market Pull: Entrepreneurs must attach to their customers, not their ideas. A strong market orientation, built from the “outside-in,” is the most effective antidote to the Passion Trap.
3. A Compelling Math Story: Passion must be grounded in economic reality. A clear, logical plan that charts a path to profitability is essential for focusing priorities and securing adequate funding.
4. Startup Agility: New ventures are experiments in uncertainty. Success requires “focused flexibility”—the ability to commit to a course of action while remaining open to iteration and adaptation based on market feedback.
5. Integrity of Communication: Passionate founders can create a “feel-good bubble” that distorts reality. Cultivating candor, curiosity, humility, and scrutiny is a secret weapon for making fact-based decisions.
6. Staying Power: Most startups fail because they run out of time or money. Extending the venture’s runway through strategic planning and bolstering the founder’s personal resilience are critical for giving a great idea time to succeed.

Startup Success Course is based on textbook learning material by Academy Europe.

Study Hard AND Study Smart!

Dear Students,

The textbook courses by Academy Europe are targeted at providing the students with the most important aspects of the theoretical and methodical materials. In addition, the textbook courses will also focus on the philosophical background for the development and use of the theoretical background and are thus to be understood as partly complementary to the material of the course notes. It is assumed and strongly suggested that the students study and become familiar with the course notes.

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Certification

Academy Europe presents high-quality formal diplomas, certificates and e-certificates which are formal proof and recognition of accredited online courses. It shows all student’s abilities to learn and achieve high results and is very useful to promote personal career including with CVs, job applications and self improvements.

Samples: Horizantal Diploma – Horizantal Certificate – Vertical E-Certificate

How can you get your certificate at Academy Europe?

• You must click “complete” link at the end of every lesson of your course after you finish them.
• When you finish all lessons of course, the “finish course” link is going to be active at the end of last lesson.
• When you click the “finish course” link, you will finish your course on Academy Europe officially. Then, “certificate” page of you completed course will be automatically active.
• You can see and download your certificate online after you click on your “certificate” link.

Audience

This course by Academy Europe aims at imparting quality education and training to students.

Academy Europe is dedicated to its students, their specific learning requirements, and their overall learning success.

This course is directed toward a student-centered, independent study, asynchronous learning approach.

After completing this course on Academy Europe, students will get self improvement  and promotion in their careers.

This course is based on at least two learning skills which are provided  to the users through audio & visuals, videos, verbal presentations and articles, all of which are asynchronized with distance education approach.

Prerequisites

Before you start proceeding with this course on Academy Europe, we are assuming that you have a good aptitude and can think logically. You should want to try something different.

Ideal candidates for the course would typically possess:

– Discipline and attentiveness

– Ability to conduct research

– Ability to perform tasks with speed, efficiency, and accuracy

– Analytical judgment

– Patience to interpret technical/scientific data

– A willingness to learn, roll up your sleeves and work toward your dream!

– A computer, tablet or smartphone and an internet connection

– Basic computer skills