Why do some business start-ups succeed and others fail?  This question fascinated Go To Market Show guest, John Bradberry.  So much so that he researched and wrote a book on the subject titled, "6 Secrets to Startup Success: How to Turn Your Entrepreneurial Passion into a Thriving Business."

Over the years, Bradberry has studied the path that business founders followed and assessed the patterns that increased their odds of success or failure. At the core of his findings is the fact that an entrepreneur's passion in his/her idea plays a critical role in success. Passion provides energy to get a business off the ground and push through the challenges that inevitably present themselves.  But what happens when someone falls in love with their business concept without taking the proper steps to assess and plan its real potential?  That's where it gets risky, according to Bradberry.  

"When we believe strongly in something a set of cognitive biases comes into play," Bradberry said. "It's not always easy to look at the situation objectively."  Objectivity comes in the form of discipline, looking at the real potential for your business idea in the marketplace, for example.  

On numerous occasions I've told folks in our firm, "It's not a good idea until somebody buys it."  This is the ultimate validation of your idea, something that Bradberry says far too many entrepreneurs don't consider until they've invested heavily in time and money.

"Six Secrets to Startup Success" is a reality check for folks thinking about diving into the process of starting a business.  From the stories of start-ups in the book, readers will learn about building the foundation for success by being aware of the cautions.  Such as not letting enthusiasm get the best of you, grounding your business in reality, or validating your idea with those who will give honest opinions.  The truth may set you free, as they say.  

Six Secrets also provides a framework for decision-making, helping potential business owners plan and prepare for best-case to worst-case scenarios.  Successful businesses are able to iterate and change over time, and this process of adaptation and success builds "earned optimism" as Bradberry calls it.  Confidence grounded in preparation.

Mapping success or failure may ultimately come down to looking at your business idea through three main lenses. Yourself, to assess your fit as an entrepreneur for the business you want to create.  The market, looking at your concept from the perspective of your potential customers and the competition.  And the math, determining if you can make money and generate sufficient margins and sales velocity to get your concept off the ground.  

The idea is not to scare anyone out of pursuing their entrepreneurial passion.  As someone who launched a business over 15 years ago I can tell you it is rewarding - in spite of the challenges.  The idea is to help you prepare and increase the odds of success.  There's no such thing as certainty - but with "Six Secrets to Startup Success", maybe you'll discover the clarity to move forward with confidence.  

To find out more about the book and other tools for entrepreneurs go to ReadyFounder.com.