We all know, one way or another, that starting our own businesses in the Arab world carries a significant risk. Around 60% of new companies close

their doors within their first five years. And those that survive aren’t necessarily successful. As we know, almost all of them are just trying to stay afloat. When it comes to

technology startups with innovative products, more than 90% don’t make it to their second year.

لكن ما الذي يتعلمه رواد الأعمال الجُدُد من فشل كل هؤلاء؟ تقريبًا، ولا أي شيء! في حين نجد النجاح في كل مكان، إلا أن الفشل غير مرئي. النجاح

is common and celebrated, while failure is lonely. You see success in the moment, while failure drags on. But what’s striking is that success seems like something

Morale, but failure is clear to see.

The First Reason Entrepreneurs Fail

The latest surveys on why small businesses close their doors indicate that a lack of planning is the leading cause of their failure. When most

businesses start, we find that روّاد الأعمال They are not interested in the details of the market or in gaining in-depth knowledge of it; in fact, more than 50% of them have not even carried out

the basic planning required before launching their startups. But isn’t it clear that entrepreneurs need to devote more effort to strengthening their planning?

By contrast, the founder of Starbucks, for example, wrote a detailed business plan in 2003 to define, forecast, and manage the business through 2010.

These are examples of the power of planning. Few new entrepreneurs—if they do not refer to this plan and what they learned from it—will be recognized as entrepreneurs

in the first place, nor will their words be taken seriously. Perhaps we’ll explain this in more detail in the near future, God willing.

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The Second Reason Entrepreneurs Fail

The second main reason startups fail is related to management capabilities. Companies that collapse before lasting five years often have

The reason is deficiencies or flaws in its products and services, failure to keep pace with new technologies, and a lack of sustained innovation within the company. Once again, I ask: isn’t it

obvious to new entrepreneurs that they need to keep improving their companies’ products and services, updating their technology, and sustaining innovation in their businesses?

Companies like Google are seen as having owners and founders who are brilliant at developing their products, services, and new technologies. But few people can connect and align

the concept of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) with the Deming–Shewhart Cycle, which these companies use to manage their startups entrepreneurially.

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The Third Reason Entrepreneurs Fail

Finally, the main reason entrepreneurs fail is tied to their entrepreneurial conduct and how well they handle challenges. An entrepreneur who does not anticipate the facts and outcomes usually

closes their company within five years. If you don’t thoroughly research the information and data you need, or consistently track your goals, your company/product

met with the same tragic fate. And once again, Entrepreneur At first glance, it makes sense that someone who doesn’t anticipate outcomes and facts

about their company or seek the information they need won’t develop the necessary adaptability and will struggle to lead a successful business.

So it also makes sense to see Apple’s founder driven to be faster and more appealing than his competitors, and Walmart’s founder focused on

gathering detailed information about competitors, customers, and suppliers, as well as the conviction that drove Ford Motor Company’s founder to build a car for the masses

using all the methods mentioned. But few people make the effort to understand what these entrepreneurs’ actions mean.

Ultimately, the reasons for failure always seem obvious to everyone. And because they seem obvious, we can treat them as an opportunity

to learn. Interestingly, the reasons for success are much the same—but they only seem obvious when things are done well… So because of this

obviousness, many people fail to recognize and see the lessons learned.

With so many obvious truths about failure, how long will you keep staring at what’s obvious before taking the action your startup needs?

I’m not expecting a verbal answer. Answer the question with thoughtful plans and wise actions. Best of luck to all entrepreneurs.