What do you do if your startup career requires both stability and flexibility?

The matrix — In the startup game, picture yourself in the high-risk, high-reward quadrant of a 3x3 matrix. Understand this commitment. Each challenge is an opportunity to derisk and pivot, not just a setback. Build resilience by embracing these moments as crucial learning steps that pave your path to success. Stability isn't about avoiding change, but adapting swiftly and strategically to it.

Stay proactive by regularly seeking feedback and actively soliciting opportunities for growth. Cultivate a growth mindset that views challenges as opportunities for learning and improvement. Embrace uncertainty as a chance to innovate and experiment, rather than fearing it. Foster a culture of adaptability within your team by encouraging open communication and a willingness to embrace change. Continuously refine your skills and knowledge to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving startup landscape.

From experience of advising and building 40+ accelerators around the world — every startup has to change something at some point. This is more normal than you think and customers and investors are more understanding than you think. Here are a few things that may change, why, and why you should embrace these kinds of changes. 1. Focus — solving the problem in a slightly different way based on user and customer feedback. 2. Value — emphasising a greater value that a the new product focus brings to customers. 3. Sustainability — building a more sustainable business model for the company and customers. 4. Opportunities — exploring new or different opportunities based on how you have grown.

I believe stability is a factor of clear user feedback channels and proper change management, as a startup many forget that products need proper change management with different teams deploying their changes. Customer feedback lets you know what is broken, change management allows for controlled tracking and analysis of impact. Flexibility is a mixture of roadmap and customer feedback and a fair prioritization board for features but one should never forget what works or what the original vision is / was. Rumor has it youtube at inception was a dating site, facebook was a college site but they pivoted somewhat.

Perfect your A-team — Want the inside track? Choose a mentor who’s faced both highs and lows. They’ve not just enjoyed the good times but have also powered through the tough ones. This seasoned pro doesn’t just offer theories—they bring actionable strategies that really work. They’ll help you avoid the common pitfalls, freeing up your resources to handle the unknowns. Look for a mentor with a track record of resilience and adaptability; they’re your key to navigating through startup chaos effectively.

There’s a difference between mentorship, advising and coaching. We use them interchangeably in startup ecosystems and founders may need one over another. So it's important to know the difference when seeking mentorship. Mentorship - is a relationship providing support, expertise and experience to help founders make better decisions BOTH in their startup and in their personal life. For example, supporting a founder to build a great company and ways to avoid burnout while doing it. Advising - is primarily a business relationship providing expertise, experience and access to their network to help founders progress their startups. Coaching - is also a business relationship but aimed at helping founders perform better as individuals.

When seeking a mentor, prioritize finding someone who aligns with your values and aspirations, rather than solely focusing on their accomplishments. Actively engage with industry events and networking opportunities to connect with potential mentors. Don't be afraid to reach out and express your interest in learning from them; most successful professionals are willing to share their knowledge and support emerging talent. Remember to reciprocate by offering value and contributing to the relationship in meaningful ways.

Boundaries are the difference between staying on track and coming off the rails. As a founder with a family I have to set very clear boundaries that help build both a company and a family Here are some ways I do this that you might find helpful: 1. Work set hours a day — in my case it’s 6 hours per day. That’s it. 2. No more than 2 evening events per week — I like networking. But twice weekly max and for two hours max only. 3. Minimise meetings — if it can be an email we don’t need to meet. 4. Frequent days off for family time as well as not working weekends. 5. Focus on building business systems not goals.

In addition to setting boundaries, regularly reassess and adjust them as needed to maintain balance and well-being. Practice assertive communication to enforce boundaries effectively without compromising relationships. Consider leveraging productivity tools and time management techniques to optimize workflow within your defined boundaries. Remember that boundaries are not rigid rules but flexible guidelines that evolve with your needs and circumstances.

There is a saying that I have always liked: The best learners become the best earners. There is an undeniable connection between how much we learn and our ability to earn in life. Not only that, learning is what makes you stand out in the startup ecosystem. Here are a few things I do to learn continuously: 1. Talking to people - by far my favourite way to learn. Building and working with multiple accelerators I get to talk with and learn from smart people every day. 2. Audiobooks - a great way to consume large volumes in a shorter timeframe. Although I still like paperbacks. 3. Teaching - yes! Teaching helps you learn. When I deliver workshops and talks I learn when doing research and again as part of a group of people.

To further enhance your adaptability, seek cross-functional projects or collaborations within your startup. This allows you to gain exposure to different areas of the business while broadening your skill set and understanding of how various departments operate. Embrace challenges outside your comfort zone as opportunities for growth and development, positioning yourself as a versatile asset capable of contributing across multiple domains within the startup.

Every time I’m asked about how to build a great network in the startup ecosystem, I advise one thing: Eventbrite. It is one of the best ways to build real world networks. Here’s how: 1. Download the app, and search your local city for startup events. 2. Use search terms like “startups, ecosystem, tech events, investor, VC”, (or terms relevant to the startup you’re building e.g. AI, Fintech, etc). 3. Register to attend as many interesting looking events as you can (many are free and great!) and you will meet amazing founders, investors, etc at these events. 4. Commit to attending at least 1-2 monthly and by the end of the year you will have built an incredible network. Also remember to connect with them on LinkedIn!

Nail risk management — Here’s the real talk: I've seen too many startups, whether they're just kicking off or scaling up, stumble over what should've been no-brainers. I am a believer that about 80% of risks are right there if you know where to look. Make sure you've got a solid crew, mentors, peers, and pros who can spot trouble before it blows up. These folks are crucial; they're your early warning system. Stay sharp, adapt quickly, and dodge those obstacles.

The truth is you can never plan for every risk. But you can prepare to have a mindset for every risk. Our ability to embrace uncertainty and risks are a major key to being entrepreneurs. The word ‘Entrepreneur’ simply means: to take a risk! Anyone who has ever been great at anything: sport, business, or the arts all took risks and failed along the way. But they didn't let fear stop them. They persisted. Therefore embrace uncertainty and risks. Greatness at something is often the result of many years of taking risks and failing at something and simply not giving up.

Firstly, establish clear goals and priorities to maintain a sense of direction and stability amidst change. Develop a flexible mindset that embraces adaptability and innovation, allowing you to pivot as needed in response to evolving market trends and opportunities. Cultivate a diverse skill set that enables you to navigate various roles and responsibilities within the startup ecosystem, enhancing your versatility and value to employers. Build a robust professional network comprising mentors, peers, and industry experts who can provide guidance and support as you navigate your career path.