A startup is so much like a bank heist

Only that its legal.

If you pull it off, you've done some serious stuff and gotten yourselves rich, otherwise in all probability you are fucked. Having wasted some serious productive time of your life, not to mention the opportunity cost (as a bank robber you could be working for some mafia king instead of venturing into something of your own). Okay you may not end up in a jail but if at the age of 33 you have no savings and have to ask your college friends to pass on your resume (reminding them of how they got you to do their assignments), it IS pretty bad (of course not as bad as having Big Bob sleeping in the same cell but pretty bad none the less)

In fact the preparations of a bank heist are very similar to that of a startup.(I haven't done the former but seen plenty of films on the theme).

1. You have to create a suitable, trustworthy team, collect necessary equipment.
2. Both need some work to be done on shares and decisions made on the exit strategy.
3. The team needs to gel with each other, but if theres a woman on board, its important to keep business and pleasure apart.
4. There are various strategies available online but theres a high chance that a totally original one will work.
5. Most of them work out, when the stakeholders work in total social isolation.
6. Usually, the productivity is the highest at around 2 am for either of them.
7. Both need backup plans for every plan, even for the backup plan.
8. Its advisable for stakeholders to keep their mouth shut when talking to people in the similar business, especially when drunk.

You got something else to add.. feel free to add to the list.