Starting a business is like surviving on a desert island
Originally written in Chinese. Translated with AI, reviewed by Gary. Read the Chinese original →
I came across a really interesting metaphor today.
Imagine one day you get up and find yourself stranded on a desert island.
What's the first thing you'd do?
It certainly wouldn't be dreaming of building a villa, or planning to open a resort on the island one day.
It would be quickly checking what resources are around you and working out how to survive the night.
Are there branches? Could you tie them together into something to catch fish?
Is there fresh water? Otherwise you won't even make it through tonight.
Can you make a fire to keep warm? To keep wild animals away?
Solve today's survival first, then pray a ship passes by to rescue you.
Why do I find it interesting? Because it's a lot like starting a business.
Many founders start out thinking about writing a business plan to raise money, aiming straight for unicorn status. But in reality, the first step shouldn't be the dream. It should be survival.
For example, you don't have to wait for product development. You can sell ready stock first and solve customers' problems.
Or you can do the work yourself first, rather than hiring a team straight away.
You can also sell to the people around you first, trading your network and your time for your first pot of gold.
Staying alive matters more than anything.
Wait until you have enough resources before starting? Then there'd be no such thing as starting a business.
When Airbnb started out, it didn't begin as a "global short-stay platform" either. They couldn't even find hosts. So what did they do?
They pulled out mattresses at home and hosted the first guests themselves. Starting from what was around them (their own living room) to solve cash flow.
Don't rush to build the boat
Starting a business is like surviving on a desert island. Dreams matter, of course, but the first thing is always: stay alive.
Use the resources at hand to get a meal and a sip of water first. Once you're on your feet, you'll have the chance to build a boat, set sail, and maybe even become a unicorn.