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Startups are like rowing
Successful startups operate like rowing teams, where individual contributions are essential and technical skills, strength, and mental fitness matter. The first hires are crucial, as everyone must work cohesively without any slackers to achieve performance. Both rowing and startups require perseverance, practice, and a shared vision, emphasizing that hard work and passion are key to winning.
Startups are like rowing
- 1. WHY SUCCESSFUL STARTUPSARE LIKE ROWING How getting up early and sitting backwards can prepare you for startups Daniel Stevenson daniel@fast-traction.com
- 2. First, let’s getone thing straight Not all rowing is created equal Big galley ships are like entrenched competitors. Adding more people (rowers) doesn’t make them any faster. And individual rowers don’t see any results from rowing harder. But put the eight fastest rowers into a boat and look out. Now the average performance is closer to the top performer. NOTE: See Paul Graham’s excellent essay – HOW TO MAKE WEALTH – for more on this topic.
- 3. Recruiting is liketeam tryouts In startups your first 5 or 10 employees are your most critical. You want to know everyone can pull their weight. In rowing, you look for technical ability, strength and mental fitness. Culture matters. You are putting your team (startup) first. There is no room for a prima-donna in a boat (startup).
- 4. IN A STARTUP EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES You can’t hide in the boat. There are no off-strokes in a race.
- 5. AND TECHNIQUE MATTERS In rowing it’s LEGS BACK ARMS Do it wrong (or too fast) and you STOP the boat In startups it’s AUDIENCE CUSTOMERS PRODUCT Understand customer pains before you build
- 6. YOU MAY NOTKNOWWHERE YOU ARE GOING In rowing you can’t see where you are going, but you are guided by a visionary (coxswain) and you just work (pull) hard
- 7. PRACTICE AND PERSEVERANCEPAYS OFF Rowers will put in hundreds of hours of practice and conditioning for a single, seven minute race. There are rarely “quick hits” in the startup world.
- 8. MAKE EVERY STROKECOUNT Rowers, like entrepreneurs, get up early to get a jump on the competition.
- 9. PULL TOGETHER ANDEVERYONE WINS Hard work, focus and good team dynamics will get you over the finish line first. And remember, if you don’t have the passion for startups, you are not going to win. Daniel Stevenson daniel@fast-traction.com
Editor's Notes
- #3 2 things keep the speed of the galley down – a) individual rowers don’t see any result from rowing harder, and b) in a group of a thousand people, the average rower is likely to be pretty average. Take the 8 best rowers and put them in a boat, and look out!