"Success" really depends on way too many factors to come up with a general formula, as I've argued in this article: http://swombat.com/2011/12/23/entrepreneuri

"Success" really depends on way too many factors to come up with a general formula, as I've argued in this article: http://swombat.com/2011/12/23/entrepreneurial-success http://swombat.com/2011/12/23/entrepreneurial-success However, I'd say if your business helps you move one rung up the ladder (from zero to survival, to comfort, and then to wealth) then it's "successful" at least on the financial level. In terms of figuring out if the business is "sticking" early on, that can't be ascribed just to money - it really depends on what you're building. You need to figure out the core metrics that drive your business and see whether they're going somewhere good. In some cases, the metrics are money, in others they might be user growth, or something else!