I Was Wrong I FORGOT THE FIRST RULE OF BUSINESS

SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR Ron Ben-Zeev has built companies in multiple industries, including cloud software and real estate. Yet his current company, World Housing Solution-a threetime Inc. 5000 honoree based in Sanford, Florida-almost failed because Ben-Zeev didn't follow a fundamental rule of entrepreneurship. -As told to Steven I. Weiss

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About 11 years ago, I ignored advice that I give to everyone else: Don't build something without making sure people want it. It's a lesson I'd known before but just had to learn again.

I'd been consulting for a company-Insulated Component Structures of Floridathat had found a way to build prefabricated structures cheaply and in just a few weeks, ship them flat, and assemble them anywhere in the world in a few hours.