"创业公司是旨在快速增长的公司。新成立本身并不能使公司成为创业公司。创业公司也不必一定要从事科技工作，或者接受风险投资，或者有某种“退出”。"

A startup isn't just any new company. It's a business built with rapid growth in mind from the get-go. A startup's core objective is to scale quickly, not just to exist. This means it's designed to expand its operations, customer base, and market reach at an accelerated pace. So, just being a new company isn't enough to make you a startup. It also doesn't require you to be tech-focused, rely on venture capital, or plan an exit like an IPO or acquisition.

Let's think back to when this whole startup culture really started booming. Around the late 90s and early 2000s, the dot-com bubble comes to mind. Everyone was talking about these new “startups” that were popping up left and right. But many of these companies had confusing definitions of what actually made them a startup. They thought if they were new and had a flashy website, they were in. But real startups were those like Google and Amazon—focused on rapid growth and scalability.

Take Airbnb as an example. Founded in 2008, it didn’t start as a tech giant. The founders, Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia, initially rented out air mattresses in their apartment to make some extra cash. That’s as low-tech as it gets. What made Airbnb a startup wasn't the tech, but the vision of growth. They saw a massive market in the underutilized space in people's homes and went after it. They leveraged technology to scale, but their core idea was what drove their rapid growth.

So, how can you apply this mindset to your own venture? First, assess your business idea for its growth potential. Are you entering a market with a huge untapped customer base? Can you scale quickly without a proportional increase in costs? If you're thinking about opening a cozy coffee shop on the corner, that’s great, but it's not a startup. But if you’re considering an app that connects local coffee shops with remote workers looking for a quiet place to work, that could be scalable.

Imagine you’re at a coffee shop chatting with a buddy about this. You say, “Hey, I’ve got this idea for a new business.”
Your friend replies, “Cool, that’s awesome! But how’s it gonna grow?”
You pause. “Well, I haven’t thought that far ahead.”
Your friend nods. “You should. If you want it to be a startup, it’s gotta grow fast.”

This conversation highlights the crux of the matter. It's the growth strategy that sets startups apart from other new businesses. Startups are about big dreams and even bigger execution plans. They’re not just about surviving but thriving and expanding rapidly.

In essence, to walk the startup path, you need to dream big and act bigger. Focus on scalability, keep an eye on rapid growth, and don’t get bogged down by the trappings of what you think a startup “should be.” If you’ve got a vision that involves scaling up quickly and making a significant impact, you’re already halfway there. Just remember, it’s the growth that defines you, not just being new.