Why Experimentation Is an Essential Tool for Entrepreneurs

Jeff Bezos has a great quote: "If you double the amount of experiments you do per year, you're going to double your inventiveness." I strongly believe that while there is absolutely value in planning ahead, action is the best way to get things done quickly and move innovation forward.

Failed experiments are the quickest way to win

Tom Chi, the person who led the team that originally created Google Glass, knew the power of experimentation. Chi used a process called rapid prototyping to create the device, which is essentially experimentation at its best. By diving right into creating, rather than thinking, he was able to expedite the learning process required to develop this innovative new tool. Rather than considering the experiments that didn’t work a failure, he took those key learnings and pulled out the portions of the experiments that did work to ultimately create the final prototype. It’s efficient, hands on, and frankly, brilliant. It’s a great example of how diving right in and testing different models can produce near immediate results and lead to game changing technology.

Nothing worth doing is without some risk

That same spirit of experimentation is at the core of how we started hint? sunscreen. It started because of a health concern I had with my skin. I started looking into the ingredients in sunscreen and wondered if I could create something without certain harmful chemicals that people would actually want to use – essentially the same reason I started hint water. Had I ever made sunscreen before? No! It made sense though, so we started testing and trying. We added fruit scents, something completely different in the category. We experimented, and we did it! It really goes back to something my dad said to me. Whenever I’d be thinking “Should I do this?” or “What direction should I go?” my dad would ask, “What’s the risk? Because if the risk is something that won’t break you, then you should go for it!” Some people think you have to dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s before you try an experiment. You DO have to think it through. However, if the learning will outweigh the risk, then it’s worth trying to make it happen.

A simple change of mindset can make all the difference  

Why do we always defer to thinking about the negative outcome first? The better way to flip it is to focus on the possible reward. Oftentimes the bigger the risk the bigger the reward, which is why it’s so scary. But if starting something new was easy, everyone would be doing it. There’s always a fear of failing, and being known for that failure. But no one is going to ding you for a failed attempt if you get up and try again, and the possibility of succeeding should be the focus. Richard Branson has 400 companies. The people that are the most interesting and the most knowledgeable are people who can say– “I tried something. This 10% or 50% or 90% of it succeeded. And here’s how we continue to take that and make it into something even better.”

If you’re on the fence about a new idea, look at what you have to lose if you just start experimenting with that idea. Once the experimentation begins you’ll quickly start to see where this could go or not, and the possibility of your idea taking off (or even something new you stumbled along during the process) makes it all worthwhile.

Kara Goldin is the founder and CEO of San Francisco–based hint, a healthy lifestyle brand that produces the leading unsweetened flavored water and a scented sunscreen spray that’s oxybenzone and paraben-free. Listen to her podcast, Unstoppable, where she interviews founders, entrepreneurs, and disruptors across various industries and keep up with her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

#entrepreneur #experimentation #innovation

Mira Dix

Director of Public Relations

hint Inc.

mira@drinkhint.com

805.448.0096

www.drinkhint.com

On Fri, Apr 20, 2018 at 10:44 AM, Mira Dix <[email protected]> wrote:

Hey Kara,

Do you want me to post the below article to your LinkedIn today? This is one I sent a couple weeks ago. If you don't like this one I'm finalizing another one now I can send instead. Let me know.

Thanks!

Can Meditation Make You a Better Leader?

As business leaders, we’re under pressure to be serious and empirical in almost everything we do. We’re often also expected to be always-on: not just constantly reachable, but also focused and at the top of our game.

Logging off and taking time for meditation, therefore, doesn’t seem on the surface like the most logical step toward being more successful and productive. After all, how much work are you really getting done while meditating?

But while meditation may seem like a bit of an odd suggestion for senior leaders, it’s actually something that I recommend taking a closer look at.

Okay, fine -- you might not exactly be knocked over with surprise that the CEO of a San Francisco-based wellness brand would be open to the idea of meditation. However, I still think too few leaders appreciate what they’re missing. I also think the definition of meditation differs from person to person, and there’s no right way to be mindful. It’s deeply personal and open to interpretation.  

I’ve written before about the importance of wellness at work and even hinted at how meditation can be a step toward that goal, but I wanted to take a moment to dive a little deeper on the topic.

Bringing your best self to work

I would argue that you actually have a responsibility as a leader to bring your best self to work each day. By looking after yourself and taking time to focus on your own mental and spiritual wellbeing, you’re setting yourself up to be more level-headed and compassionate in your work life.

There is a lot more to being a leader than business chops and a good product. You need to have a great team and help empower them to deliver success. It’s simply too hard to motivate a team and lead them to success if you’re burned out and overextended.  

Unfortunately, CEO burnout is a real problem, and it stands in the way of leading your team the way you should. As leaders, we therefore need to figure out how we can stay engaged without burning out -- and I’ve found that meditation can help.  

Time to turn off

One of the most valuable aspects to meditation for me is taking time to consciously step away from all the stresses and responsibilities of daily life as a busy professional (not to mention a working mom!). When we commit to freeing ourselves from everything our mind is focused on, you’re less likely to become overwhelmed or burned out.

Interestingly, sometimes the most creative and relevant work ideas come to us when we’re purposely thinking about things other than work -- or thinking about nothing at all. You’ve probably heard somebody say they come up with their best ideas in the shower. It’s the same idea!

It’s that kind of fresh perspective that inspired me to branch out from the beverage business and launch a different kind of sunscreen. If I had been too laser-focused on the day-to-day work of running a beverage company, I probably never would have seen the opportunity.

Leading an organization to wellness

While I believe it’s necessary as a leader to prioritize your own wellness, both mentally and physically, that’s not the end of the story.

It’s important to also ask yourself hard questions as a leader, such as, am I leading a work environment that gives employees the space to log off and clear their head? Are workers really taking vacations, personal days, and decompressing so they can come back to work renewed?

With the occasional exception of my husband, the COO, I don’t tell any of my employees what to do in their personal time -- but I do insist that they take it and not allow work to dominate every aspect of their life. I also strive to create an environment where they can look for peace and balance however makes sense for them as an individual. Maybe that’s through meditation, or something else like a beloved hobby.

Like I said, it’s worth noting that meditation can mean very different things to different people. Maybe you prefer to attend a structured meditation at a temple and view it as a religious practice. Some might just schedule ten minutes out of their day to breathe and let go of their stress. Others may find as much peace taking a long walk and letting their thoughts wander.

However you choose to practice mindfulness in your daily life, I’m confident that you’ll benefit from the renewed perspective and clarity that comes from finding a way to tune out, clear your head, and invest in your own wellness.

You might find that it makes you a better leader -- and as an added bonus, you’ll feel a lot better too.

Kara Goldin is the founder and CEO of San Francisco–based hint, a healthy lifestyle brand that produces the leading unsweetened flavored water and a scented sunscreen spray that’s oxybenzone and paraben-free. Listen to her podcast, Unstoppable, where she interviews founders, entrepreneurs, and disruptors across various industries and keep up with her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

#mindfullness #meditation #leadership