Articles by Avni Patel Thompson

Avni Patel Thompson is a Seattle entrepreneur dedicated to building delightful customer experiences and solving the problems modern families face. She is the founder and CEO of Poppy (meetpoppy.com) and writes about her start-up journey at avnipatelthompson.com. She has an MBA from Harvard Business School and has previously worked at P&G, Starbucks and Julep.

Latest from Avni Patel Thompson

Startup advice: Beware of the fakes, the phonies and the frauds

by Avni Patel Thompson on January 7, 2018January 6, 2018 at 8:23 am

Startups are hard because by definition, you’re trying to do something that has never been done before. There is no roadmap, handbook or “right” answer. There are no experts. There… Read More

5 things no one tells you about starting a startup

by Avni Patel Thompson on October 22, 2017October 21, 2017 at 9:39 am

[This guest commentary is by Avni Patel Thompson, founder and CEO of Poppy.] There are things that I wish I had known before I had started my startups. Not because it… Read More

What surviving on Mars can teach you about building a startup to last

by Avni Patel Thompson on November 1, 2015November 1, 2015 at 8:05 am

It’s rare that a story about survival set on another planet can provide guidance on how to build an enduring company on this one. But as it turns out, that’s… Read More

5 reasons why parenthood actually is the very best time to create a startup

by Avni Patel Thompson on May 2, 2015May 1, 2015 at 10:33 am

There is never a good time to have a child. And there’s never a good time to start a startup. We hold these truths to be generally self-evident. But to… Read More

Ditch the business plan: Build your test product

by Avni Patel Thompson on April 26, 2015April 26, 2015 at 11:46 am

I have an MBA. I’ve worked for over 12 years at Fortune 500 companies. I’m supposed to tell you that a business plan is the first step in your journey… Read More