Kill like Google
Fail fast, fail forward
Just last week, news emerged that one of the tools I use that was acquired by a Nigerian Unicorn was being shut down. Just around the same time, I noticed that Spotify had made some ‘crazy’ changes to the Creator tools on Anchor, which is my favourite podcast hosting platform.
Google, with all its resources, have 293 products or services that just didn't work out and were killed, even to the horror of the users. Think I’m exaggerating? Check this site out - Killed By Google
In life, it's crucial to know when to persevere, when to adapt, when to conserve energy and when to let go. Sometimes you’re way ahead of your time, you might be executing wrongly or your idea/business/service/career isn’t just sustainable.
Persevering for an extended period is not necessarily a negative trait. In fact, I believe that the most successful individuals often harbour an 'irrational' belief in their potential success.
What is most important is to be clear on what your Northstar is, and be flexible in how you get there. Be it through a pivot in business, a change of career or whatever format this may take.
Failure isn’t fatal, what’s fatal is being stagnant, stuck in limbo and regressing over time because you are afraid to decide to either start again or change direction.
Be more like Google, the patron saint of fail fast, fail forward.
One founder that has kept evolving from his young days in Uganda to building a startup that is revolutionizing the tourism sector with Tripesa. His narrative is not just one of success, but of resilience, as he navigates the trials of pioneering internet ventures and leadership roles in a pan-African enterprise. Listen to the full conversation here - Click to listen, subscribe, and share with a friend