Founders: It’s Not About You.

Starting a company is hard. I've experienced it several times.

The drive to start a business often begins with a founder's need. A frustration with what currently is, or is not, available. Yet when framed another way, it's seen as an opportunity if solved. Passion ignites. And an origin narrative is born.

Next, when aligned with a purpose, a 'why' emerges.  Providing a deep well of motivation needed for the many tough moments ahead. The pull toward solving the problem is now hard to resist.

Yet there is danger here too: cognitive bias.  What appears to be a clear solution to us may not appear the same to the customer. We can't cling to our original ideas. The scope must expand for more feedback. Then iterate, and test. Iterate, and test.

In other words, it's not about the founders. It's not about the company even. It's about the customer.  The narrative must begin to flip. The spotlight must shift. The origin story is still important, but the story is always about the customer.

This is why I'm so bullish on frameworks like Design Thinking. It reminds us that we all start with our own experiences, wants, and needs. All insights needed for launching a big idea.

Yet when we include the needs of others, we expose our bias. And we get to a better solution. Making the story so much richer.