Three UTS Startup founders, who've experienced the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, share their best advice for navigating the early stages.
There’s no perfect roadmap for building a business. Each journey is unique, filled with its own challenges and lessons, and the road to success is rarely straightforward.
Whether you're just starting out or facing roadblocks, we’ve gathered the insights you need. We spoke to three entrepreneurs who shared their best advice for maintaining focus and staying on course during the early stages of your entrepreneurial journey.
1. Just get started
For many aspiring entrepreneurs, the hardest step is simply getting started. Overthinking can stall progress, but the truth is, the only way to learn what’s next is by taking that first step. Entrepreneurship is all about trial and error, and each venture will unfold in its own way.
Liam McEvoy, co-founder of Skillry, recalls feeling overwhelmed at first. He didn’t know how to code or run a business. His advice? Start small.
"You can start a weekend side project or pick up a new skill," he says.
"Small steps will help you build momentum. Even if an idea doesn’t work out, the lessons you will learn are invaluable for any future endeavours.”
Liam McEvoy
Co-founder of Skillry
Jenna Oberstein, founder of ATAG Communication, never planned on starting a business. It happened when she accidentally landed her first freelance client, and things grew from there. When faced with the decision to hire or turn down an opportunity, Jenna took the leap.
“Sometimes you just have to say yes, take a leap of faith and trust that everything will fall into place,” she says.
“I believe every entrepreneur reaches this turning point on their journey.”
For Harrison Crowe-Maxwell, co-founder of Puralink, his business began as a side project. A conversation with someone at UTS Startups helped him break the process into manageable steps. He recommends starting simple by choosing a business name and registering as a sole trader rather than setting up a full business. This approach helps avoid the heavy admin and legal work, making it an easier way to get started.
2. Let go of perfection
One of the biggest traps for new founders is obsessing over perfection.
Liam admits he moved too slowly at first. He got caught up in experimenting with different approaches and looking back, he wishes he’d focused on one solid idea.
He and his co-founder also spent a lot of time learning how to code the entire app themselves to save on developer costs, but this delayed their market entry. Today, no-code tools like Bubble or even AI-assisted coding platforms like Cursor AI and v0 make it easy to build a basic prototype and test it with real users.
“While no-code solutions have their limits, reaching those limits is a good problem to have,” Liam says.
“At that point, you can approach investors with a proven user base and growth potential to seek funding for more advanced development.”
Liam also recommends creating a basic webpage for your idea, running a small ad campaign and gathering feedback from potential customers. If people sign up for a waitlist, it’s a sign your idea is worth developing.
“It’s okay to be scrappy,” he says.
“Get your product out there, then gather feedback to refine and improve.”
Harrison also stresses the importance of talking to customers from day one. Although it can be intimidating, especially when liaising with big companies in established industries, these early conversations help you understand what customers want, refine your product and get to market faster.
Jenna remembers spending months perfecting her website in the early days, and she still wasn’t satisfied with the result. The same thing happened with her business cards.
"I’ve learned not to obsess over every little detail. My ideas change all the time."
Jenna Oberstein
Founder of ATAG Communication
3. You don’t need an original idea to start
Liam emphasises that you don’t always need a completely original idea to start a business. Improving existing products with small tweaks and a solid marketing plan can be a great way in. Also, since the market has already validated the idea, it’s a less risky approach.
“This is a smart way to get started in entrepreneurship,” he says.
“As you build confidence and skills, you can grow your business or even experiment with a new product idea using the experience you've gained.”
4. Bootstrap as long as you can
Harrison believes it’s valuable to bootstrap your startup for as long as possible. This gives you hands-on experience through trial and error and helps you avoid giving away equity too early.
Before seeking funding, Harrison and his team secured a patent and signed up customers.
"Bootstrapping allows you to make mistakes, learn and build a solid foundation," he says.
"Bootstrapping gives you the freedom to deeply understand your business, customers and product before scaling."
Harrison Crowe-Maxwell
Co-founder of Puralink
5. Surround yourself with the right people
Starting a business can feel lonely, but it doesn’t have to be.
Harrison stresses the importance of finding the right co-founders. He recommends surrounding yourself with people who bring complementary skills to the table. His team includes a co-founder with experience in manufacturing and aerospace, another with a business background, while Harrison focuses on software. This mix of expertise has been a key factor in their success.
Jenna admits she used to miss important details when handling contracts on her own. But over time, she realised that no one expects you to have all the answers. She learned that it’s okay to ask for help from friends, family and others with different skills when needed.
A turning point for Jenna came when she joined UTS Startups.
"I was a bit intimidated at first, but I committed to meeting the requirements for a full-time desk,” she says.
“Once I started showing up regularly, I found my place. The more I showed up, the more I gained through advice, support, shared information and connections.”
Liam believes being around the right people is crucial for new entrepreneurs. By spending three days a week at the UTS Startups office, he connected with inspiring individuals, who were focused on building their businesses and making an impact. This kept him motivated and reminded him that he wasn’t alone, especially during challenging times.
"You become like the people you spend the most time with," he says.
“A supportive community can shape your journey and really help you achieve your goals.”
Starting a business may not come with a roadmap, but by taking that first step, embracing imperfection, seeking support and surrounding yourself with the right people, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the challenges and lead your startup toward success.
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Sophie always had dreams of building something that makes the world a better place.
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Tom's efforts have seen him share in the glory of four consecutive premiership victories.
Mitchell spends his days doing what he loves: researching ways to conserve seahorse habitats and helping endangered or threatened marine species thrive.
Sophie always had dreams of building something that makes the world a better place.
If your current uni, course or career path doesn’t feel like the right fit, a fresh start at UTS could be just what you need. Hear from three students who decided to make the move to UTS, choosing degrees and a university experience that matched their goals.