Yesterday, I had the intriguing experience of collaborating with a startup entrepreneur on a tech project. In roles like project management and mentoring, we often overlook our own knowledge and expertise, assuming others have the same understanding. What’s fascinating about tech entrepreneurs, especially in startups, is their fresh, often untested ideas. Their limited experience can sometimes fuel innovative thinking, unhampered by conventional habits or past experiences.
One of the key challenges in this environment isn’t just providing mentorship or guiding the project to fruition. It’s about highlighting potential pitfalls and areas of caution. For instance, a startup’s success might hinge more on meeting financial milestones than on the sheer quality of the product. When developing a minimum viable product, there’s a common trap of trying to include too much, instead of focusing on what can realistically be demonstrated to backers in a short presentation, like a 45-minute session next Tuesday.
Maintaining a broad vision is important, but there’s also a critical need to concentrate on immediate tasks. It’s somewhat akin to performing emergency surgery on an athlete who, in the long run, is destined to win marathons. The focus might seem narrow now, but without addressing these immediate issues, the long-term goals remain unachievable.
This dynamic between short-term and long-term objectives, between what’s expedient and what’s necessary, is particularly distinct in startups compared to larger organizations. Bigger companies usually have more resources, time, and a buffer against risks, along with multiple projects that distribute their focus and mitigate risks. In contrast, startups are intensely personal, always under pressure, challenging, and almost invariably exhilarating to be involved with. They offer a unique and thrilling experience unlike any other in the business world.
Tim HJ Rogers
Consult | CoCreate | Deliver
I support people and teams to grow, perform and succeed unlocking potential as a partner Consultant, Coach, Project and Change Manager
Together we can deliver projects and change, and improve the confidence, capacity, drive and desire of the people I work with.
ICF Trained Coach
MBA Management Consultant
PRINCE2 Project Manager, Agile Scrum Master
AMPG Change Practitioner
Mediation Practitioner
BeTheBusiness Mentor
4 x GB Gold Medalist
First Aid for Mental Health
Certificate in Applied Therapeutic Skills
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