Fractio reposted this
Founder & CEO at Fractio | Lean Six Sigma GB | Soaring City Startup Accelerator W24 Alumni | PCM® Digital Marketing
A couple weeks ago, I drove a large SUV up to 12,000 feet along a narrow mountain road full of switchbacks and cliffs. I had 6 passengers trusting me with their lives, for an adventure we were excited about in Rocky Mountain National Park. When we reached the top of the two hour climb, I thanked them for trust in me. And they thanked me for driving. I didn’t promise we’d get there safely. It was a primitive road few took, and although I brought them on the adventure, their simple ‘thank you’ weighed really heavily on me. I recalled a few conversations while driving—self talk to strengthen myself to fulfill the trust they had put in my hands on that wheel. “Whether we sell, or IPO, I want to do this again with you. I see you as a partner.” I had a founder say this to me once. When it’s too early in the journey, When it’s so treacherous, When you start facing your fears, When the switchbacks and pivots are going to be inevitable. Founders of startups: Do not make promises too early. When you’ve got to keep your eye on the road, under the weight of the lives you’ve brought on the journey with you. I rode up a treacherous mountain road with this founder for nearly two years. Under the weight of millions of dollars in company revenue and customer ROI. When he slowly distanced himself from his words, I still defended his character. I even started praying for him. Then, one day on the way to the top, he stopped the car, and I was asked to step out. I was forced to face the truth. The road did get tough, The voices around him got louder, The shareholders increased, The pressure was high, I had trusted my life in his hands, and I was laid off, By someone else on his behalf. Not for lack of performance, But for hollow words, For something he couldn’t do. For something that wasn’t on paper, But a matter of character. It was an unfulfilled promise, And I forgave him. Employees at startups: Founders mean well, Most are passionate, well meaning, and hopeful. But we are human too, navigating the uphill battle for various stakeholders who are passengers, while we steer through proverbial challenges. Experiences like this inspired me to start Fractio to alleviate the burden on small businesses and early-stage founding teams along the sometimes treacherous path of entrepreneurship. #techstartups #startup #founders
Challenges are like mountains and mountains are challenges. They have to be faced and overcomes by climbing over them. It's not easy, but damn it feels good being on the top, right? I can only imagine the feeling of leading and helping other to be on the top! Love the story, Fatin!
This really resonates with me today Fatin Kwasny. While most founders may mean well, honesty and integrity are critical for building lasting relationships with ALL stakeholders.
I help industry disruptors and innovators hire top talent and retain and engage their teams. | Fractional Talent Acquisition & People Operations | High-Growth Tech
4wThis is a great analogy and definitely resonated with me Fatin Kwasny, having weathered the storm with startups at various growth stages and now building my own consultancy. There are indeed a lot of twists and turns whether you work for someone else or for yourself, and the stakes are high. Unfortunately promises are not always kept and it's a tough lesson in the realities of startup life. I think open communication, genuine care for others, and transparency about the trade-off of risk versus reward are important for maintaining trust and credibility as a leader, and for team morale.