If you are thinking about starting a new company, make sure you talk to lots of potential customers, whether that means consumers or businesses. Whatever you think is the sufficient number of “voice of the customer” conversations to have, try to do at least 5x that number.

Follow Tim on Twitter: @tmporter

Follow Madrona Venture Group on Twitter: @MadronaVentures

http://www.madrona.com

Few of the assumptions we make turn out to be true, so make answering the question "How can we test this assumption to prove that customers will pay us for this?" part of your company's DNA.

Follow Jason on Twitter: @Jason_S_Warner

http://www.recruitingdash.com

Don't focus on creating great product. Focus on giving your customers super powers.

Follow Adam on Twitter: @adamtr

Follow Haiku Deck on Twitter: @HaikuDeck

http://www.haikudeck.com

Tell them you want to get across the river, don't tell them to build a boat. There may be a better way.

Follow Level 11 on Twitter: @Level11Consult

http://level11.com

The bigger the market, the more focused you should be early on at doing one thing well and repeatably. Read "Crossing the Chasm" - as relevant today as when published 20 years ago.

Follow Ron on Twitter: @roberteleveld

Follow Optify on Twitter: @Optify

http://www.optify.net

When you're putting your pitch together, tell your story in a way that sounds like you--not how you think it should sound.

Follow Catherine on Twitter: @mamatweeta

Follow Haiku Deck on Twitter: @HaikuDeck

http://www.haikudeck.com

Everything you do, your mission and your customers should be able to be described in 10 words or less. Any more and your confusion will hurt your focus and your connection to your audience(s).

Follow David on Twitter: @aronchick

Follow Hark on Twitter: @harkdotcom

http://www.hark.com

You only need one of those three things to be awesome, but it had better be really awesome.

Follow Dan on Twitter: @danshapiro

Walk before you run: you have to create a small business before you can create a big business.

Follow Scott on Twitter: @scottporad

Follow Rover on Twitter: @roverdotcom

http://rover.com

Create something that people will either Love or Hate: products that evoke indifference die.

Follow Galen on Twitter: @galenward

Follow Estately on Twitter: @Estately

http://estately.com

There is no "one thing" that will make you successful...only many quick decisions that incrementally improve your model, product, business, pricing, design, architecture, etc.

Follow Robert on Twitter: @robert_ns

Follow Nearstream on Twitter: @nearstream

http://www.nearstream.com

Follow Daryn on Twitter: @daryn

Startup founders often think the best product will win but, time and again, find themselves beaten by inferior products with superior marketing. Invest in both, and you'll have a much better chance at success.

Follow Rand on Twitter: @randfish

Follow Moz on Twitter: @moz

http://moz.com

Pretty much the only innovations of universal appeal were fire and the wheel. Figure out who’s most likely to need or want what you’re creating (and can pay for it!). Then look at their alternatives. Your path to sales is a lot easier when you’re filling a gap between what prospects want and what’s available than it is to talk them into choosing you from a group of close alternatives.

Follow Clarity Communications on Twitter: @Clarity_Comm

http://www.claritycommunicationsconsulting.com

Attend Startup Weekend Bellevue on June 28-30, 2013 at the Smartsheet offices at:

10500 NE 8th St.
Bellevue, WA 98004

For more information and to register, check out their website: http://bellevue.startupweekend.org/

Tweet the event using #StartupWeekend