Thirteen years. Two acquisitions. A ton of scar tissue.
This week we're diving into 5 lessons I learned along the way, the ones that keep coming up in conversations with founders every single day.
As a coach, you live the experiences first. Then you do everything you can to pass that scar tissue along so the people you're working with don't have to earn it the hard way.
And here's what you'll find: most of this has nothing to do with the product. It's about how you position yourself as a founder and as a high-performance individual.
Video's above. Let's get into it.
Tool Rec
I can't recall a piece of technology that has actually made such a big difference in the way that I operate, completely shifting the way I interact with my computer, as Wispr Flow.
If you watched the video, you saw that a big part of it is just about pushing the dang button. Shipping without being perfect. Wispr Flow is exactly that in practice. You talk, your ideas come out organized and as you intended. Not a jumbled mess.
The founders I've recommended it to are saving hours per day. Not minutes. Hours.
Can't recommend it highly enough. You'll see the value immediately.
Insights from this week's one-on-ones:
🏒 On going it alone:
"You're not going to be the best hockey player in the world without any coaching. So why would you pretend to try to go pro in business with no coaching?"
The founders that make it fastest are the ones that ask for help first.
🚨 On using funding as permission:
"Pause on the 'we need funding to do stuff.' That's more of a permission-based entrepreneur. You don't need permission. Go out and sell the shit out of this even if you this means adding them to a waitlist".”
Waiting for the stars to align before you ship is just perfection bias with a business plan attached.
🔧 On skipping the work:
"In the days of AI you could have easily just kept not talking to your customers. That would have been a huge mistake."
Automation should follow understanding. Not replace it.
🔄 On forcing it before it's time:
"The business needs to pull you in so that it completely justifies that full time commitment. You don't want to be pushed into it based on your own stress and just wanting to not do the other thing you're doing."
Founders make their worst decisions when they're running away from something instead of running toward something.
This week’s poll
It’ll make a lot more sense after you watch the video. Remember, we’re here to help!
Be honest. Which of these hits closest to home right now?
Keep fighting the good fight. See ya next week 👊
-Spencer
(P.S. Hit the poll. Seriously.)