My Startup Journey

Introduction: My Roller-Coaster Startup Ride

Every entrepreneur has a story, and mine is filled with its fair share of highs, lows, and loops. This book is a peek into my wild ride in the startup world—dreams I chased, challenges I tackled, mistakes I made, and lessons I’ll never forget.

People often see startups as glamorous—full of breakthroughs and big bucks. But ask anyone who’s been there, and they’ll tell you it’s also about those sleepless nights of doubt, endless tweaks to our business plans, searching high and low for the perfect team, and always hunting for that big “aha!” moment.

I’ve wrapped up my adventures in a collection of short stories here, sharing everything from those initial “lightbulb” moments to the gritty details of product building and putting our hearts and soul in the market.

I’m here to share stories and shed some light on the startup journey. Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur, a business pro, or just curious about the behind-the-scenes of startup life, I hope my tales give you a little wisdom, spark some thoughts, and maybe even inspire you to chase your dreams.

So, come along! Let’s navigate the crazy, rewarding world of startups together. It’s a journey where the ride is just as important as the destination. Ready to hop in?

The Startup Roller Coaster Ride – Short Stories

  1. The Story of Favoriot – Part 20: The Power of Belief in a Startup Journey
  2. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 19: How the Law of Attraction Shapes Favoriot’s Future
  3. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 18: The Unspoken Truth About Startup Success
  4. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 17: How I Learned to Share Favoriot’s Story Without Overdoing It
  5. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 16: Why Favoriot Must Look Beyond Malaysia for Success
  6. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 15: From Lecture Halls to Investor Pitches
  7. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 14: To Exit or Not to Exit?
  8. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 13: Does Winning Awards Help a Startup Succeed?
  9. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 12: The Dream of M&A Exit
  10. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 11: The Rocky Road of Smart Cities
  11. The Story Behind Favoriot — Part 10: Age Does Not Matter in Business
  12. The Story Behind Favoriot — Part 9: Leaving the Comfort Zone
  13. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 8: The Frustration of Unanswered Emails and Missed Opportunities
  14. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 7: The Task of Finding Favoriot’s First 10 Customers
  15. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 6: Expanding The Business Models
  16. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 5: Finding the Right Fit
  17. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 4: How Favoriot Became More Than Just an IoT Platform
  18. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 3: Why No One Wanted Our IoT Platform—And How We Turned It Around
  19. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part 2: Turning Failures into Milestones
  20. The Story Behind Favoriot – Part I: The Humble Beginnings of Favoriot
  21. Brand Synergy: Favoriot’s Journey with MDEC at Smart Nation Expo 2023
  22. The Power of Public Speaking: From Thought Leadership to Business Opportunities
  23. Bridging Malaysia’s IoT Talent Gap: The Favoriot Way
  24. The Myth of Overnight Success: The Inspirational Story of Colonel Sanders and KFC
  25. Facing the Fear: My Reluctant Leap into the Startup World
  26. Multiple Revenue Streams from a Single Product: The Favoriot IoT Platform Experience
  27. Why ‘Picking My Brain’ Isn’t Free Anymore: A Business Perspective
  28. Building the Favoriot Brand: My Journey Through Alternative Media Channels
  29. The Power of Direct Customer Outreach: Why Mailing Lists Trump Social Media Followers in Startups
  30. Why You Need ChatGPT Assistance in Blog Writing: A Journey from AI-Generated to Authentic Content
  31. From Spiritual GPS to Emotional Outlet: How Blogging Became My Second Sanctuary
  32. Don’t Ignore Strangers: The Untold Secret of Our Startup’s Early Customer Base
  33. The Unexpected Routes of Favoriot’s IoT Journey
  34. From Multiplicity to Singularity: Favoriot’s Pivot Towards Precision
  35. Navigating R&D in Government Agencies: Lessons for the Startup World
  36. Leveraging the Strengths of Giants: A Survival Blueprint for Startups
  37. Building My Personal Brand: The Stepping Stone to Favoriot’s Success
  38. From Research Lab Critiques to Startup Pitches: My Slide Story
  39. The Illusion of RFPs in the IoT World: Managing Expectations as a Startup
  40. Favoriot’s Odyssey: Navigating the Rough Waters of Early Revenue
  41. From Early Days to VC Pursuit: A Startup Founder’s Odyssey
  42. Blogging My Way Through Entrepreneurship: A Habit I Cherish
  43. Beyond Accolades: The Real Impact on Our Entrepreneurial Journey
  44. Embracing the Diverse Entrepreneurial Journey: Why Success Takes Different Roads
  45. The Subtle Art of Hiring: A Peek Into My Experience
  46. The Entrepreneur’s Balancing Act: A Deep Dive into the Complexities of Startup Product Pricing
  47. The Timing Trap: Our Venture with an IoT Solution and a Global Pandemic
  48. Navigating Product Failure: A Tale of Three Missteps and Lessons Learned
  49. Networking in Startup: An Introvert’s Tale of Growth and Connection
  50. The Startup Burnout: A Founder’s Tale of Striving, Stress, and Solace
  51. The Entrepreneur’s Challenge: Navigating the Pitfalls of Lack of Focus
  52. The Crucial Importance of Product-Market Fit: Lessons from My Entrepreneurship Journey
  53. Embracing Change: Lessons Learned from Clinging to Three Products without Pivoting
  54. Learning on the Go: The Power of Podcasts in My Daily Commute
  55. Learning from Mistakes: Building the Fourth Product – Favoriot IoT Platform
  56. Building the Right Team: My Journey of Managing a Startup
  57. Navigating The Storm: Managing Cash Flow in a Bootstrapped Startup
  58. Outpacing the Startup Race: Lessons Learned from Building a Citizen Engagement App
  59. Finding Harmony in Chaos: My Journey of Building 4 Products
  60. Embracing Life’s Adventure: My Journey From an Academician to an Entrepreneur
  61. How To Increase Your Paid Users From Free Users
  62. 7 Tips How to Get Your Startup Acquired
  63. Advice From ChatGPT as The Investor
  64. When No New Ideas Are Generated
  65. Dateline for the Next eBook
  66. Academia, Industry & Government
  67. Starting The Next IoT Ebook
  68. An Entrepreneur – The Last Career
  69. IoT eBooks by Mazlan Abbas
  70. Navigating the Entrepreneurial Journey with Limited Funds
  71. Navigating the IoT Wave: Secrets to Capturing the IoT Platform Market
  72. Audience Personas for Favoriot IoT Platform
  73. Social Media Strategy for Favoriot IoT Platform
  74. Innovate or Die: Embracing Steve Jobs’ Principles to Catapult Favoriot to IoT Stardom
  75. How We Define the “Why” of FAVORIOT
  76. FAVORIOT 6th Anniversary – The Journey Continues!
  77. IoT Projects from Education to Commercialisation
  78. 8 Top Challenges Building a Citizen Engagement App
  79. 6 Great Challenges Building an IoT Solution for Hajj
  80. How We Build Our Fourth IoT Product
  81. On a Journey of IoTising Business
  82. How We Build Our Third IoT Product
  83. How We Build Our Second IoT Product
  84. How We Build Our First IoT Product
  85. How Silicon Valley Changed My View on the World of Startups