My good friend, Chris Jones, SVP, Services at Descartes, reminded me of this 'consultant's expression'. Perfect is the enemy of good is something founders should muse on often during their company build-out. And not just in product development--the concept should penetrate all aspect of the business. Here are a few examples, based on real-life experiences:
- Founder: 'We really need a strong C-level team'--Dave: what you really need is a bunch of guys that can get things done, not a bunch of guys looking to manage a bunch of guys getting things done...
- Founder: 'If we only had (XYZ) more bells & whistles, customers would by our stuff instantly'--Dave: sell what you got, buddy, customers don't often use the last 30% of a software's capability anyway..and if they ask for a 'special' report or application, say 'next release!'
- Founder: 'If I only had another million, I'd be successful!'--Dave: did you ever hear about resource allocation? If you need more <whatever>, how about re-prioritizing your current spend to focus on what's going to make you successful
You can continue the process yourself with you own 'pet' complaints about start up life, but remember that perfection is something only your mother sought from you, and it does not apply to the real world...
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