Lessons Learned: California

1) Keep all the stakeholders updated. Running a business is not a one-man show. Partners not working fulltime are particularly anxious about whether their interests are being protected or not. Manage expectations, talk to your partners often, acknowledge conflict, openly discuss concerns and resolve disagreements

2) Find a customer FAST. You only know how good (or bad) your product is once it's tested by a real user in a real environment. Most assumptions go straight to trash, when faced with customer requirements from the business environment. Finding a customer who pays is often easier, and more effective than looking for angle or venture cap funding.