What I learned from Survivor (the reality show) about managing a startup
“Always Be Checking In” – Boston Rob
Building a successful startup is a social game. All the crucial points in your startup’s life are social – convincing investors, understanding what your users are looking for, and even handling your co-founder or best employee who wants to quit just when you need them the most. One of the places I’ve learned the most about playing a social game is the reality show Survivor. It has all the right startup ingredients – leaders and followers, heroes and villains, players who stay cool all along and those who lose their sanity. The most interesting thing about Survivor is that it gives a different perspective about who is a ‘winner’ and how a social game can be played. Some of the winners are young, fit and charismatic but most of them are far from it. Some win by leading from day one, but most win by being everybody’s best friend, not being a threat, and staying under the radar till the end – much like startup CEOs.…