When looking at this scenario in a macro, it seems that most entrepreneurs at different stages of the business would choose to work on strengths and let another expert work on the weaker part. In theory it sounds logical and favourable. However, let’s examine these scenarios why a lot of first time founders seem to fall into the pit of spreading themselves too thin and focus too much on the business areas that are weak. Is there such a thing as a good balance? How do you measure it?
Different entrepreneurs will have strengths and weaknesses in different areas. Running a successful company is very demanding so it may seem that startup founders are supposed to be good at everything or all else will fail. Here is a short list of what strengths and weaknesses entrepreneurs may possess:
· Getting investor funding
· Pitching to investors
· Managing customers
· Managing internal team
· Building the product or service
· Marketing
· Sales
The famed author of the book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” Robert Kiyosaki describes funding as a prime example of a necessary skill that most entrepreneurs are weak at. This is not to say they will not be successful but it is say that they should be aware of this early on in order to prepare for it when their business needs funding the most. A lot of startup founders try to take getting funding into their own hands, even though it is their weakness; they do this instead of hiring for others’ strength such as a software tool to help train their business or professionals to help broaden their network. Like any strength, securing investor funding requires knowledge of the startup investment field, relationship building, and logistical time. Usually startup founders would try and fail between 2 months — 12+ months before asking for the necessary help. By them, their business would have gone through a significant amount of suffering that could have been easily avoided. We have heard of startups who have gone through 1 year of unsuccessful capital raising before finally considering help with their weakness.
Tim Ferriss, #1 New York Times best-selling author and Silicon Valley entrepreneur, dedicates to steering people to work towards their strengths and hiring/ outsourcing for weaknesses in order to accomplish professional goals. When founders dive into the entrepreneurial journey and undergo self discovery, each will find where their strengths and weaknesses really lie. Each business decision relies on utilizing available resources, time, and strengths and weaknesses of people.
When founders try and do everything themselves, they realize that they take a longer time to develop the skill sets that funding experts, accountants, web designers, etc.. would have. It would cost more time and money in the long run and the return on investment (ROI) is poor. When founders hire experts in the fields where they are weak, they can work along side the experts to better learn what the end result should look like. It would be a positive learning experience that also saves you time and resources in the end.
If founders did not put too much on their shoulders by hiring for weaknesses and doubling down on their own strengths, they will not only save themselves a lot of time but they will spend their days building their business and doing what they love.
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About VenturX
VenturX is a web platform that helps entrepreneurs through their journey from idea to launch and beyond. VenturX uses data-driven analytics to score and connect startups and investors at Seed and Series A financing.
