Sunday, August 30, 2015

Why serial entrepreneurs succeed more...

This recent post that a founder's job is to create believers - http://josephwalla.com/your-job-as-a-founder-is-to-create-believers - reminded me that it is time to demistify higher success rates for serial entrepreneurs.  While it is true that they succeed more often, isnt due to any amazing product-market fit sensing abilities, that part is all hard work.  What is true though is that startups are faith based institutions similar to churches.  There is no way to prove you are right, you just need to believe.  One nice thing about startups is that you will get an answer in a much shorter time period, usually during your mortal life, generally a few years.  But during the early stages, the whole thing seems pretty dicey.  Most people you talk to will think your idea is crazy, dumb, or not do-able.  But serial entrepreneurs get to say that they have seen this before and succeeded in the same situation, and that creates faith.  Faith from employeees, investor, customers, press, etc.  That creates greater dedication, persistence, and momentum.  There really is no other magic to it.