This collection of three essays serves as a guide, synthesizing everything I've learned from years of research on how to build a billion-dollar company. My journey involved watching countless interviews, series, and documentaries, in addition to reading various books, essays, and blog posts.

I wish I could say that I learned a lot from talking to people, but that was not the case for me. Most of the people in my hometown believed that even aiming for this kind of goal is absurd, some because they think it’s impossible and others because they simply hadn’t seen it before.

Thus, those insights were not very useful. However, I’m thankful to them for teaching me that what we decide to believe becomes our truth, and we will always find a way to prove it. So, as cliché as it sounds, listen to everyone but make your own conclusions.

A common narrative around startups revolves around the 'godly founder.' While it's intriguing to delve into the minds behind companies like Apple (Steve Jobs), Facebook (Mark Zuckerberg), or Microsoft (Bill Gates), these stories aren't step-by-step guides to emulating their success. This realization led me to forge my own path.

In the coming paragraphs, we’ll explore the importance of falling in love with the process, creating things, and then sharing them with the world. This three-step approach is what I believe can lead anyone to “blow up” and ultimately achieve our goal: building a billion-dollar company with an artist mindset. If that’s what you’re aiming for, this read is for you.

Avoid aiming for a unicorn (a billion-dollar valuation startup) right from the start; instead, find out what interests you first and then dig into that. For me, it’s education. For others, it might be robots, cooking, chemistry, etc. Imagine stepping into the studio to record your first song ever, but your goal is not to work on your craft; instead, you want to create a hit song. Becoming too attached to a specific outcome (a charting song) can lead to frustration, especially if that outcome isn’t achieved.

Furthermore, achieving a hit song without having built a persona capable of sustaining momentum can hinder greater success. Additionally, you will probably experience “success” in the financial and status aspects. If you are not careful, becoming comfortable due to wealth and fame might lead to reduced effort, ultimately resulting in becoming a one-hit wonder, which is perhaps the least desirable outcome.

Please know that you can't—and shouldn't—rush greatness for your own good. Instead, take your time to enjoy and embrace the process. Build yourself up gradually and consistently. If you grow too quickly, you might find that the next time you step into the recording booth, expectations for greatness will be high, turning your passion into a job filled with pressure. Rather, nurture a deep love for making music, so that your success becomes a direct result of your skill and dedication. Remember, the most accomplished individuals in any field are those who genuinely love what they do.

It’s important to highlight that I'm not suggesting you ignore the potential for financial gain, fame or any accolades that may arise. In fact, such rewards often follow naturally once you've achieved success in your field. They are all a result of mastering your passions. Whether it's building robots due to your fascination with robotics, designing T-shirts driven by your love of fashion, cooking exquisite dishes fueled by a passion for culinary arts, or coding driven by sheer enthusiasm, always let your genuine interest lead the way. Money should never be the primary motivator.

Once you understand the importance of falling in love with the process in your pursuit of success, shift your focus to developing side projects. Completing these projects not only gives you practical insights into how things function but also helps you discover your inner capabilities.

Each project you complete reinforces your ability to create and innovate for both yourself and others. This realization is empowering, as it makes you aware of your potential to bring ideas to life. The process becomes simpler: you just need to decide what you are going to build.

To select your first side project, follow this process:

Start by identifying the problems you're currently facing and list them down. Often, the most successful startups are born out of problems their founders faced. Take Stripe, for instance, which was created because the Collison brothers faced difficulties in handling online payments for their projects.

They aimed to simplify payment processing for developers and businesses, which led to the creation of Stripe. In 2023, Stripe was expected to process payments amounting to $1 trillion, showcasing its immense growth from solving a practical problem to becoming a major player in global payment processing.

In 2007, Airbnb’s founders were struggling to pay their rent in San Francisco. They decided to rent out space in their apartment to help cover these expenses, an act of necessity led them to the creation of Airbnb. By trying to solve their financial problems, they started a business that has since grown into a global platform, now valued at more than 100 billion dollars.

These founders not only addressed their own challenges but also connected with a broader market facing similar issues, thereby creating valuable solutions and generating revenue. In short, work on solving your own problems.

Having identified the problems you're facing, the next step is to determine which of these you can address most quickly. Ideally, select a problem that is within your current skill set. If tackling it requires acquiring new skills, embrace this learning opportunity. This phase of the journey is not expected to be easy or friction-free; it demands commitment and can be uncomfortable. But achieving greatness often requires discipline, effort, and sacrifice.

So, whether it involves coding, producing videos, or even embroidering jackets for your venture, dedicate yourself to it. Treat this project as your cherished creation, and invest deeply in its growth and evolution.

Begin with small tasks to build momentum; for instance, if you aim to build a food delivery app, start by googling ‘How to create a food delivery app’. Then, gradually tackle larger and more challenging issues: learn to code a button, then learn to set up a database, and so forth.

The most straightforward yet powerful advice I can offer here is to just get started. Venture into the unknown and learn to solve problems independently, as ultimately, you are the one who must do the work. Part of this process involves asking questions to get to the fundamentals.

Some useful resources are ChatGPT, Stack Overflow, YouTube, and Discord forums for advice. Test your creation thoroughly, deploy it, and finally, focus on promoting it. Once you have successfully completed your first project, it’s time to move on to the next one, aiming this time to address a more complex problem.

To check out the side projects I’ve created, click here.

After finishing one of your side projects, it’s time to share it with the world via social media. Ideally, focus on the platform that currently has the most traction and select an appropriate content format. By starting to build a social media following now, you’ll ensure that when you release new projects in the future, there will already be an eager audience waiting. You’ve invested significant time in your work, so make sure it receives the attention it deserves.

To maximize your chances of going viral, ensure that each project garners as much attention as possible. Sharing your story with a community allows you to collect extensive feedback, essential for ongoing improvement and iteration. Remember, you won’t truly know which growth or marketing strategies work best until you experiment with various approaches.

Be creative with your approach; understand that people seek entertainment and amusement, so avoid being dull. Most importantly, stay authentic and true to yourself; don't attempt to be someone you're not. Remember, it's ultimately the public that will make your project go viral, not you.

Success often emerges when you create something people want. However, this process cannot be reversed; directly asking people what they want isn't effective, as their desires are too varied. Instead, present them with a concrete idea or product, gather feedback, and continuously improve your offering.

Using the music analogy, aim to record your first song and release your first mixtape as quickly as possible. This approach is key to gathering feedback fast and improving your craft. Keep in mind, your first song might not be perfect, and you may face criticism. While this can be discouraging, it’s a crucial part of the journey. Embrace it and remain open and vulnerable. Try not to take the criticism personally. Remember, it only takes one song to go viral, and that could change your life forever.

Please, avoid the trap of going into stealth mode. Understand that merely building something doesn’t guarantee users will use it—don’t fall for the fallacy that if you build it, they will automatically come. This isn’t a fairy tale. Solitary thinking cannot replace the value of real feedback from others.

Often, the reluctance to share your work stems from a fear of criticism, leading you to aim for a level of perfection that's unrealistic. The truth is, most people are too focused on their own lives to overly scrutinize your work. Therefore, it's crucial to launch as quickly as possible. A good rule of thumb to remember is this: if you're not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you've probably launched too late.

The phase of building and sharing might appear to be the slowest part of your journey, yet it's undeniably the most rewarding. This stage requires a blend of delusion, patience, and gratitude, reflecting the themes in Russ's 'It's All In Your Head.'

Imagine this process as ice slowly melting – progress is constantly being made, even if it's not immediately visible. If you stick to your grind, have no doubt that your time to shine will come. Persistence and determination are absolutely crucial; by not giving up, you're destined to succeed. Maintain your delusional belief in your dreams.

Once you finally go viral and gain recognition, you've entered the big leagues. You are a superstar now, it's your time to shine.