“If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I would spend six hours sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln.

When it comes to starting a business, many entrepreneurs focus immediately on action: launching the product, registering for taxes, finding customers. But how much time have they spent “sharpening the axe”?

There’s often confusion between speed and urgency. Sure, you need to be responsive, but starting without a solid strategy is like running a marathon in the wrong shoes.

The preparation phase is not only important but essential to avoid wasting time and resources on wrong decisions. But what does it mean, concretely, to sharpen the axe before starting?

The 6 hours of sharpening before launching a business:

1. Market Analysis Understand the market you want to enter. Who are your ideal customers? What problems do you solve? Who are your competitors? Without clear answers, you risk creating something no one wants or fighting giants without a differentiating strategy.

2. Idea Validation It’s not enough that the idea is good for you—it needs to be valid for the market. Test your proposal with an MVP (Minimum Viable Product), gather feedback, and optimize before investing everything. Too many startups fail because they fall in love with their idea without validating it first.

3. Business Model and Monetization Strategy How will you generate revenue? What will your fixed and variable costs be? Do you know your break-even point? Too many entrepreneurs start without a sustainable business model and end up chasing money instead of building a solid company.

4. Financial Planning Having a clear idea of your finances is crucial. How many months can you survive without income? Have you considered all the hidden costs? It’s better to figure this out beforehand rather than halfway through.

5. Network Building Success is never a solo journey. Build a network of mentors, partners, and customers even before launching your business. Often, the first contract comes from a relationship built months in advance.

6. Positioning and Branding Before you start, you need a clear identity. The name, logo, tone of voice, mission, and vision must be aligned. If the market doesn’t understand who you are and why you exist, they won’t buy from you.

Chopping the Tree Becomes Easier

After investing time in this preparation, the moment of action will be far more effective. This doesn’t mean everything will go smoothly—no business starts without obstacles—but you’ll have a strategy to face them.

Starting a business without preparation is like setting off on a journey without a map and no fuel. You can start immediately, but how likely are you to reach your destination?

If you’re thinking of launching a business, take the time to “sharpen the axe.” The future of your project depends on how well-prepared you’ll be when you start striking.