What are the differences between agricultural and industrial products?

What are the similarities and differences between running a startup in "bricks and mortar" versus one in the regular fare of IT/web-based products/services?

• Specifically - creating a food brand. Think Starbucks, Absolut Vodka, or Virgin Cola. In addition to more complexity in manufacturing/physical logistics, what are the most important things to consider? And how common is it for entrepreneurs to move between the tech/web and non-tech/web domains?

• Answer:

  There are more similarities than differences. In fact the main difference is not really a difference at all but a reflection of the industry. In an IT/web-based start-up you will need to engage greatly on-line with customers, investors, stakeholders and competitors. You will need to do some engagement off-line too. In a bricks and mortar company you will need to engage more actively off-line whilst not neglecting/ignoring on-line. The extent will depend on the industry segment you are in. Of course in all industries the relative importance of on-line will grow. One notable difference is that if you have a product based software start-up you have no option but to think global from day one.