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The Startup Killer That Almost Every Startup Leader Ignores
How experienced entrepreneurs navigate the law of unintended consequences
For a lot of companies, the battle for success is often lost in the margins. And quietly too.
A company can be quickly doomed by a decision that seemed less than critical, almost innocuous, at the time it was made. This is the law of unintended consequences, and it’s a nightmare for both startups and mature companies. It can strike in sales, technology, finance, hiring, just about anywhere.
The more mature the company, the more likely it can absorb the damage when the unforeseen becomes seen. On the other hand, I’ve seen the law of unintended consequences take out startups in a disproportionate ratio.
I believe I know why. And I think I’ve narrowed down the source of the problem.
The Case Of Market Share FOMO
Recently, I got a question from an entrepreneur who was already passing the $1 million mark in trailing revenue with a B2C product. His problem was that while he believed he could expand his market share, and probably pretty quickly, he was having a ton of trouble defining his ideal customer profile.
