Value Your Gut And Aim High: Zomato Founder Deepinder Goyal's Business Takeaways Here's what the Indian entrepreneur behind the global Zomato has to say to aspiring MENA entrepreneurs.

You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Zomato
Deepinder Goyal, founder and CEO, Zomato

We asked Deepinder Goyal, founder and CEO of Zomato -the India-born food tech giant that now has its presence in 24 countries- about his words of advice for aspiring MENA entrepreneurs. Here's what he had to say:

1. Get your priorities right

"Focus on building a business that solves a real problem. There's a very apt quote from Warren Buffet: "Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked.' If you believe you aren't naked, then you shouldn't worry about the tide going out."

2. Listen to yourself

"Value your gut- when your gut feels like something is wrong, think hard about it, and don't let data take over that decision."

3. Execution matters

"Execution is extremely under-rated. All the big things (strategy) are a sum total of small things (execution)."

4. Continue your education

"Have a learning mindset. The three hardest words in the world are: "I don't know." Don't be afraid to say them in front of people, and work hard to learn and get better."

5. Get on the ground

"Customer surveys are overrated. Send your product guys to the field- make the user your biggest priority."

6. Do it right the first time

"Don't put processes around problem solving- take as long as it takes to get to the right answer. And once you get to the answer, give it everything to get it done."

7. Keep aiming high

"Stakes should always be high, not personal- don't be afraid of personal failure."

Related: The Recap: Indian Innovator Awards 2017

Related Topics

Business Plans

12 Reasons You Need a Business Plan

In the new book "Write Your Own Business Plan," business expert Eric Butow breaks down how a solid business plan can save your startup during those tough early days.

Cryptocurrency / Blockchain

Why the Next Crypto Bull Run Will Be Like Nothing We've Ever Experienced

We are on the precipice of what could be the greatest transfer of wealth that has ever happened in human history.

Growing a Business

Building an Empire With No Handouts: Follow This Entrepreneur's Roadmap

Charting a course for entrepreneurs determined to achieve big.

Business Ideas

The 9 Most In-Demand Professional Certifications You Can Get Right Now

Want to boost your qualifications but not sure which certificates to pursue? Check out these in-demand professional certifications to pick your path.

Growing a Business

A 5-Time Founder Shares His Best Success Tips

Godard Abel's sold businesses to Oracle and Salesforce, and these are the three biggest secrets to his success.

Growing a Business

7 Essentials of Great Customer Service

The goal of customer service is to transform an unhappy customer into a customer who feels thrilled about how well they were taken care of.