When it's Raining Cats, Dogs, and Other Mindless Cliches
Entrepreneur Office Hours - Issue #244
If you live on the East Coast of the United States, you’ve surely heard about Hurricane Debby slogging through the region. By chance, my mom, who lives in Florida, was in town for a visit, and she spent the entire time fretting about her home.
To be fair, plenty of hurricanes have done significant damage, particularly in Florida. But my mom doesn’t live in that part of Florida. She’s been living in Central Florida for over 25 years, and, in all that time, she’s never so much has had her power flicker in a storm. In other words, the chances of this storm causing any meaningful problems for her — particularly when she was three states away — was basically zero. So why was she so worried?
The answer is, of course, that people told her to be worried. Despite years of experience suggesting her she had nothing to worry about, everywhere she looked for the week leading up to the storm she saw other people hoarding groceries, boarding their windows, filling up gas cans, and otherwise prepping for the apocalypse.
Whether any of that preparation was justified isn’t really for me to say. On one hand, I’m sure we could make an argument for it being overblown. But, on the other hand, I’m sure we can make an argument that good preparation prevents bad things from happening, and it’s just hard to prove a so-called negative.
Whatever the case, what I’m most interested in, and what I think you all should be interested in as fellow entrepreneurs, is how easily people can be convinced to follow the crowd, even when it goes against their own experience or logic. This is a critical lesson for entrepreneurs. In business, just like in life, the pressure to conform can be immense—whether it's adopting the latest trends, chasing after what competitors are doing, or following conventional wisdom. But, as entrepreneurs, our job isn't to follow the crowd; it's to question it. Just because everyone else is panicking and boarding up windows doesn't mean there's a storm headed your way. Sometimes, the most successful entrepreneurs are those who stay calm, trust their own insights, and stick to their plan, even when everyone else is losing their heads.
In the end, whether it's a hurricane or a market shift, you have to trust your own data, your own experience, and your own judgment. After all, in the chaos of entrepreneurship, the ability to think independently and act decisively is what will keep your business standing tall no matter the storm.
-Aaron
This week’s new articles…
On Your Quest to Build a Successful Startup, Are You Slaying the Right Dragons?
Too many entrepreneurs get confused about the real enemies and real rewards of entrepreneurship. (Hint: It’s not investors!)
A Cup of Tea Will Help You Solve the Biggest Problem in Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurs love drinking coffee, but that other popular, hot, caffeinated beverage has an important lesson to teach.
Office Hours Q&A
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QUESTION:
Hey Aaron,
I've been following your insights and they've been incredibly helpful. I've noticed a lot of talk about 'culture fit' when hiring, but I'm curious about how you approach this without inadvertently creating a homogenous team. How do you balance the need for a cohesive team culture with the benefits of diverse perspectives and backgrounds?
Looking forward to your thoughts!
Best,
Alex
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The concept of "culture fit" has been a buzzword in the startup world for years, but it's crucial to interpret it correctly to avoid stifling diversity, which can be the lifeblood of creativity and innovation.
First of all, I think it's important to redefine what we mean by "culture fit." Instead of looking for people who fit perfectly into the current cultural mold — essentially replicating what already exists — I encourage thinking in terms of "culture add." This subtle shift focuses on what unique perspectives, experiences, and skills a new hire can bring to the table that will enhance and evolve the existing team culture. Ultimately, rather than trying to conform to the status quo, your goal should be to complement and challenge it.
You create this kind of challenge by considering how a candidate’s diverse background might offer new insights or approaches that can benefit your team. This could mean different industry experiences, life backgrounds, problem-solving approaches, or even personality types that aren't already represented on your team. Each new member should be seen as a key to unlocking new levels of potential within your organization.
However, even though you want team members to have productive differences, you’ll quickly find that they still need similar core values that resonate with your company's mission and vision. Shared values help maintain cohesion and provide a common ground where diverse ideas and personalities can thrive.
Got startup questions of your own? Reply to this email with whatever you want to know, and I’ll do my best to answer!
