Entrepreneurship competitions should build your business, not sap energy

Many new business founders view winning competitions as validation. The prizes are always welcome, and the exposure and connections made through them can lead to a critical leap for a new business. The problem: contests that allow unlaunched companies to compete rarely have the diligence or vetting phases needed to ensure that claims are valid and that the assumptions have been properly assessed. I know of many companies that have won several competitions that failed quickly after launch. And so...