At the start, you're terrible (and that's fine)

BEFORE YOU PRESS PLAY

What is discussed

AskMonty AI editorial noteSource consulted: 2026-10-03

Drawing on Amazon, Udemy and table-tennis player Massimiliano Mondello, Marco argues that beginnings can be very rough. He recalls being among Udemy’s early successful non-English-speaking instructors and exchanging ideas within a small group. His central suggestion is to study what people did at the start, rather than copying advice given after they became established. The episode published in 2022 retains the economic and temporal context of the original account.

Key points

• Final results can obscure early difficulties and limitations.
• Marco recalls early exchanges between Udemy instructors and founders.
• His Mondello anecdote illustrates how a particular skill can improve over time.
• For a new project, studying others’ first actions may be more useful than their later advice.