Issue #01

The tale of burnt peanuts

In a world that places a great deal of emphasis on learning from mistakes, is there perhaps a better way to learn and do things? Throughout the 5+ years that I have worked with companies, one thing that I have observed is the zeal and passion that most founders have. Even if the vision is excellent, it will ultimately be meaningless if it does not produce the desired outcomes.

Here are 5 key points that we need to understand while building startups:

1. Conquering the mind, knowing the why: Let’s take an analogy. I was baking peanuts in the oven. The instructions said to bake them for 20–25 minutes. I did the same and even tasted them; after 25 minutes, the peanuts were baked well. But then I kept it back in the oven for another 10 minutes in a hope to bake it even better. And then I removed it after 10 minutes, and to my surprise, they were burned. And I was disappointed. This is the same for startups. We have founders who have great visions and the ultimate level of passion. But there’s no strategy in place to bring the vision from the thought realm to the physical realm via actions and execution to bring results; it’s a total waste. On the other hand, many startups occupy themselves with ad hoc tasks, just like busy bodies, which don’t give any ROI for the long term. This signifies the need for planning. 

2. Planning: It’s impossible to be stagnant with planning. One can move from one level of glory to another with proper planning. When we prioritise this, we reap the fruits of it. I was reading Lenny’s latest post and learned about Notion. They initially started out as an all-in-one productivity and collaboration platform. 4 years down the line, they pivoted to being a no-code app/website builder. If they hadn't planned it well, this pivot would have been tough.

3. Strategising: Strategies help us achieve growth. One doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel to develop strategies for their companies. It starts with the basics, the fundamentals, and builds on top of them. For example, we all know that constant customer and user feedback is key, and this data should be gathered in such a way as to give insights that should then help in decision-making. 

4. Understanding the power and use of numbers: We need to keep tracking the numbers. Without metrics, we wouldn’t have a clue as to what’s going on. We need to be accountable if we want to grow and create an impact, and metrics are a vehicle for that. 

5. Structure: We humans love structure; that’s how our minds operate the best. Humans were created to be in order, and that’s our nature. If you work haphazardly, you can’t work efficiently. It is highly recommended not to wait simply for things to take shape but to take the responsibility to bring order to your organisation. 

   

   Image source: Freepik
   

At the end of the day, it’s not just the idea or thought that fuels your success. It’s about executioner , results, and the right timing. This should be found as early as possible as you build your next adventure.

I’m sure that this has helped you understand the world of startups and bring results to our everyday lives. Do subscribe to the newsletter, Doers Digest. 

The story behind Doers Digest

One day, I was hungry and found some raw peanuts in the kitchen. I thought to bake them. I checked online how long to bake them, and it said 20–25 minutes. I followed the instructions and, after 25 minutes, checked them, and they were perfectly baked, but I thought to bake them for another 10 minutes. The results were disastrous and disappointing. They were burned and turned black. This got me thinking about how many of us in the startup world have great passion but don't have direction and don't achieve results.