Sailboat vs. Speedboat (a Startup Parable)

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Which takes more resources to transfer you from point A to point B? Yes, speedboat is much faster, but will it run without fuel (and a lot of it!)?

Same is the case with startups. Like civilizations, startuppers better follow their path of technological evolution. Just like our ancestors we build a "sailboat" first. In other words a business running on the power of already existing demand. Demand is the wind for our sails. We don't need so much resources to use the wind (we can literally start with a few planks, sticks and a sheet of cloth), but it can move us in the desired direction.

Use "the wind" while your resources are limited, move on, grow and eventually you have enough to add engines to the boat of your business, fuel them with costly marketing, advertising, even creating demand yourself like Apple does... or become beautiful, just bigger sailing yacht! Such businesses exist and prosper, too!
#business #parable #sailboat #speedboat #startup #startupper
  • Profile picture of the author Oziboomer
    Originally Posted by jmferret View Post

    Which takes more resources to transfer you from point A to point B? Yes, speedboat is much faster, but will it run without fuel (and a lot of it!)?

    Same is the case with startups. Like civilizations, startuppers better follow their path of technological evolution. Just like our ancestors we build a "sailboat" first. In other words a business running on the power of already existing demand. Demand is the wind for our sails. We don't need so much resources to use the wind (we can literally start with a few planks, sticks and a sheet of cloth), but it can move us in the desired direction.

    Use "the wind" while your resources are limited, move on, grow and eventually you have enough to add engines to the boat of your business, fuel them with costly marketing, advertising, even creating demand yourself like Apple does... or become beautiful, just bigger sailing yacht! Such businesses exist and prosper, too!
    "Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world."
    - Archimedes...

    Yes I agree...but nowadays with the likes of the various "kickstarter" opportunities where you can leverage your situation or in some circumstances "boost the wind" and use social media to propel a business forward it is the people who see the opportunity to add an "Outboard"...or more importantly a "JET" that often beat the altruistic efforts of a passive system that relies on organic growth.
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