"Because they can make the dog jump, [entrepreneurs] somehow assume that everyone wants a jumping dog," says KPCB partner Randy Komisar. His point? Too often, start-ups launch a solution without thinking through the problem that it solves. Without necessitating spending a nickel, an entrepreneur's first step should be plotting how the market has evolved to allow for a next-step product or service. As an example, he cites Apple's launch of the iPod on the backs of the Sony Walkman and Napster. Nothing is unique or truly inventive, says Komisar. The trick is finding the worn path that will allow your venture to dig in its heels.

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