Launching, learning and pivoting quickly in a new business
PostBack started as a phone call between best friends that was inspired by one of their experiences owning a business during the Covid-19 pandemic. We talked about how there’s an absence of good tools for businesses to respond to online reviews without getting involved in long back-and-forths that can often damage a business’ online reputation. We mapped out a rough plan to create a website that could do this. Our first steps included talking to a lawyer, diving into creating a business plan, and going after funding.
Some things that helped us go from idea to launch in under a year were:
- Find the right partner
- Harness the power of personal networks
- Be open and honest
- Remain flexible while staying focused
- Aim for iteration, not perfection
1. Find the right partner
My bestie and I have been collaborating on things for decades. Granted, our partnership may have started from making doodles in class together and playing tennis doubles in high school. We understand each other and communication is one of our super powers. We are both “super-doers” who love a good checklist and calendaring out our tasks. Our partnership also works so well in the business setting because we cover a wide range of skills between the two of us. It’s easy to divide things up and know that it’s going to be done well. Creating a start-up is not easy, but it is easier when you have the right partner.
2. Harness the power of your personal networks
I’ve been told by my bestie that I’m a “people collector,” but not in a creepy, horror movie kind of way. I really do have a wide network of people I like to stay in touch with because I have been fortunate to cross paths with a lot of smart, inspiring, get-it-done sort of people. When we decided we would turn the idea of PostBack into reality one of our first steps was to outline initial key roles. Then we thought through our networks to identify people that could be a good fit for what we were trying to achieve. The start-up life is a bit of a leap. As a new business you’re unproven and there is the element of risk which may not be for everyone. That said, if you’re lucky enough to have someone in your “people collection” that is willing to take the leap with you, it can turn into magic!
3. Be open and honest partners
Starting a business with a friend seemed scary at the start. So many questions ran through our heads. Would this ruin our beautiful, long-standing friendship? How are we going to navigate being business owners together? Instead of leaving these thoughts in our heads we had very open and honest conversations. Maybe that’s a benefit of jumping into this start-up that we hadn’t considered deeply… we are able to talk about anything, even hard things, because we’ve been friends for so long.
4. Remain flexible while staying focused on a primary goal
Running a lean start up is a constant fluctuation between “what is our goal” and evaluating whether what we are putting energy into is supporting that or an unnecessary deviation. It’s become very clear that simplifying has worked for us. We have had a LOT of ideas for services we can offer, but they are not all things we need to, or should be, doing at the start. Don't be stubborn and stick with something that may be pulling you away from your primary goal. Also, as a start-up, you want to use your resources effectively. A shift in direction can be incredibly beneficial to your budget.
As Gen Xers we’ve also realized we need to check ourselves to make sure we aren’t stuck in old ideas (e.g. we don’t need a 1990’s style call center, and yes, we should use the power of AI). We have shifted away from things that seemed to be crucial and core to the business, but that has only kept us closer to our primary goal: Letting businesses rate customers.
5. Aim for iteration, not perfection
As a person who plays tennis and has worked as a designer for a couple of decades, I readily acknowledge I’m a control freak. I want things to be a certain way and I want to make that happen. The start-up life simultaneously falls into that realm while equally conflicting with it. There’s control, but in a good start-up there’s also got to be adaptability and flexibility. Our team set a launch date and worked towards a minimal viable product. We outlined Phase 1 non-negotiable must-haves, and have a long list of later phase items. This has been a good process for me to go through. Realizing we can launch the initial website, while knowing there’s a list of future improvements, has satisfied that controlling, perfectionist side of myself. Aiming for iteration, not perfection, has also allowed us to develop and roll-out quickly.
Apply the start-up mentality to your business and life
I’m finding more and more that these principles can apply to any part of life. Whatever you're doing, make sure you are sticking to your core mission... but be flexible and realize iteration is more important than perfection. Life can throw a lot of different things your way. Pivot. Take advantage of that!
