Nothing Like a Broken Down Car to Remind You of All the Good in the World

Entrepreneur Office Hours - Issue #238

Last week, I was on my way home from the beach with my family when our car unexpectedly died. Luckily, we were only 15 minutes from our house by that point, so an Uber was able to take my wife and kids home.

I, however, got the joy of waiting two hours for a tow truck on the side of the road during an oppressive heatwave. For the record, #WouldNotReccomend.

However, despite the frustrations of a broken down car and a couple hours standing in a concrete oven, it was a surprisingly uplifting experience.

Why?

Because, during those two hours, dozens of people stopped and offered to help.

Even more amazingly, it was all sorts of people: white, black, hispanic, asian, young, old. I got more bottles of water handed me in those two hours than I could drink in a day. Lots of people offered to wait with me. One guy even wanted to give me the milkshake he’d just bought from McDonald’s. (For the record, I didn’t accept it, but I definitely wanted to.)

Anyway, I’m sharing this story because it completely contradicts everything we tend to see and hear on the news and social media about how the world is falling apart and how everyone seems to hate everyone else.

That’s just not true. To be clear, I’m sure with a world of 8 billion people, not everyone is a saint, and not everyone gets along. Far from it, obviously. But the vast majority of people in this world are good, decent human beings, and, when given the opportunity, they’ll do what they can to help if they see someone in need. I believed all of that before I got stuck on the side of the road, and I’m even more convinced after those two hours.

And, for the record, I’m saying it here because I think more people need to be reminding us of all the good in the world instead of feasting on messages of division and hate.

-Aaron

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This week’s new articles…

The Right Way to “Fake It” in Entrepreneurship

Lots of entrepreneurs gets tempted to lie about their startups. But you don’t have to lie to make an imperfect startup look good. Do you know how?

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The Best Startup Ideas Always Have One Critical Flaw

Every great startup idea has its problems, but that’s OK because the bigger the problem, the bigger the opportunity.

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Office Hours Q&A

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QUESTION:

Hey Aaron,

I feel like I’m constantly hearing about the importance of 'agility' in startups, particularly when facing uncertain or rapidly changing markets. However, as I try to steer my startup, I find it challenging to balance agility with the need for a stable, strategic direction. How can a startup remain flexible and adapt quickly without losing sight of its long-term goals? Are there specific practices or frameworks that can help manage this balance effectively?

Thanks for your insights!

Best,
Jordan

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You’re hitting on a critical challenge for startups: balancing the agility to adapt quickly with maintaining a stable, strategic direction. And, yeah, it’s hard. Not impossible, but it definitely requires precision and foresight.

For starters, we need to understand that agility isn't merely reacting to changes; it's about preparing to pivot and adapt while maintaining a clear focus on core objectives. It’s proactive adaptation rather than reactive chaos. To achieve this, start with clear core objectives. These are the non-negotiables, the heart of your business that guides every decision. While everything else can be flexible, your core objectives should provide steady direction.

Of course, setting those core objectives is just your starting point. From there, it's about weaving agility into the fabric of your operations without losing sight of those anchors. Think of it as setting up a flexible framework within which every decision and adaptation is made. In other words, being agile isn’t about choosing between constantly changing everything and having a clear direction; it's about ensuring they complement each other.

And, yes, I realize navigating this balance isn't necessarily easy, but, again it's definitely possible. It just requires thought, deliberate organization, and a clear understanding of your end goals. By embedding these principles into the core of your startup, you’ll find that agility and strategic direction are meant to go hand-in-hand.

Got startup questions of your own? Reply to this email with whatever you want to know, and I’ll do my best to answer!

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