This is a very good data point and specific, hard learned lessons that author lists can really help prospective founders avoid mistakes. To me, the key lesson

This is a very good data point and specific, hard learned lessons that author lists can really help prospective founders avoid mistakes. To me, the key lesson is a modified version of 4: the founders must be able to build their tech themselves (buying off the shelf products as needed). They do not have to do it. They can, and often should, get developer help. If founders have the skills to do it themselves, bringing in a developer is buying time. On the founders terms. They can pick the biggest pain they want to outsource at the price they can afford. If they cannot outsource something at a good price or fast enough they can always do it themselves. If founders do not have those skills, they are buying capability, which puts them at the mercy of someone else when developing a critical piece of technology. This is a huge risk. Life does not always work like this, but if at all possible, startup founders should, giving infinite time, be comfortable developing the technology from A to Z. My 2c.