Alumnibloggen: Swiftcourt

The struggle

Hi guys. My name is Johan. I’m such a rare thing as a an entrepreneur and a lawyer. My startup-struggle began for almost 2 years ago and now Swiftcourt (which is the name of the company) has been proven to be a startup with a lot of potential. That is, if me and my team can execute (and come out of the struggle alive). Last fall, Swiftcourt had the honour to win Venture Cup South in the category “Human & Society”. At least we’ve done something right, since the competition in Venture Cup is deadly. Although, it’s not the story of our glorious victory I would like to share with you guys, but rather the struggle I’ve had these last 2 years.

The dream of Swiftcourt has been alive for almost 2 years. Now, it’s more alive than ever. The original idea has changed in so many ways (even though the vision is still the same) I can barely remember the pitch from Venture Cup. All the time and effort we’ve put into Swiftcourt has refined the concept and now it’s not only a good idea, it’s a disruptive business in a conservative industry, opening a brand new market with huge potential in terms of global scalability and volume. Yeah, thats good. Startup buzz word test completed. So what’s the problem then? It has taken us 2 years to come this far. Yeah, I know. I had no experience. I had no clue. Maybe it is the dog years needed for a rookie entrepreneur like me. But I can’t stop thinking, if I knew everything that I know now, I’m confident to say that I easily could cut that time in half (at least). How can I be sure? The answer is easy. All the mistakes that millions of entrepreneurs have ever done before me, I have done as well. Damn it. I’ve run like a maniac and I’ve become a master of communication, but in terms of building the right product loved by users I’m still a rookie. Do, fail and learn will always apply of course, but there are a few ways to start the struggle on the right path. So, if you have the same aspirations as me and would like to level up from Apprentice to Draenor Master, and to cut your time to market in half, there are three must reads out there:

• The Hard Thing About Hard Things, Ben Horowitz. If you’re a Founder CEO and have not yet read this book, shame on you.
• The Four Steps to the Epiphany, Steve Blank. This is the startup guide I needed 2 years ago.
• Inspire: How to Create Products Customers Love, Marty Cagan. Read it, and you’ll master the product development process.
  
  
  Buy. Read. Level.
  Yours sincerely,
  Johan Hedén Hultgren
  Founder & CEO, Swiftcourt