Seeing too many PAKISTANI startups confusing sizzle for steak. It's not about photo ops conferences tweets cheerleaders. It's about your customers loving you so much they voluntarily rave about you with their friends and family. Go develop customer advocates.

Founders in PAKISTAN: decide if you're a social enterprise or a commercial venture. If you're the latter then stop acting like a charity case and stop chasing grants. Work w private risk capital and experienced venture investors.

If you're a tech startup, make sure you have tech in your startup.

If your assigned "mentors" have never founded or worked at startups, stop spending time with them.

If your incubator leadership works on fixed salary, not equity in your startup then run away.

Don't get seduced by what other people think is exciting. Often the most boring things are the best opportunities because not many people are chasing them. Boring Is Sexy.

Move on quickly from the macro to the micro. For example how are you going to get your first paying customer. Dollar One Is Your Goal.

It's never too early to think about your company culture. Culture is not a statement or poetry. It's what gets rewarded, funded. It's how decisions are made. Culture Beats Strategy.

Be clear exactly who your customer is. Be clear exactly what they're buying and why they're buying. A long time ago I learned pet owners aren't buying dog food. They're buying a healthy happy dog.

Be selfish. Always ask the WIIFM. What's. In. It. For. Me. Your time is hugely valuable. Don't be a prop in someone's photo op. Don't be the filler in some else's conference agenda. Be selfish.

Hire women. At every level. Women are PAKISTAN's most under levergaed asset.

Don't listen to your parents. They want you to be safe and comfortable. Breakout success doesn't happen in safe and comfortable.

Sure you should listen to advisors. If they've earned their right to advise you. But always remember you're the decision maker. You're the founder. This is your company.

I'll pause now. Leave you with this thought. Know your "unfair advantages". Be able to articulate them. With evidence.