Tortoise or Hare?

There's timeless wisdom in the fable of "The Tortoise and the Hare" that goes beyond its obvious moral of “slow and steady wins the race,” which if we’re being honest is not always true. In fact, in business, it’s often the case that slow and steady wins nothing but a trip to obscurity. The timeless wisdom in the fable is particularly relevant to the realm of entrepreneurship and business building.

What is the timeless wisdom? It’s the fact that in business, as in life, the world is abound with both hares and tortoises, each representing distinctive approaches to success. Neither approach is better than the other in the aggregate, but each approach is undeniably better for individual situations. As an entrepreneur, the question then becomes, which style is best for you and your specific situation, the swift, flashy hare or the steady, undeterred tortoise?

In our contemporary business narratives, the “hare” startups make the headlines. They're the ones chasing meteoric rises, and riding the high waves of venture capital, seemingly bound for imminent success. They sprint towards the finish line, embodying a culture of “move fast and break things.”

They're exciting, no doubt, but they're also fraught with risk. Their race against time often leads to oversight, poor groundwork, and unsustainable scaling and that’s not to mention the cost to society. Who among us does not have a screen addiction? Would our mindless scrolling exist if technological innovations were led by tortoises? How about medical innovations? If hares were in charge of our health, no doubt many diseases would be eradicated by now but let’s not dwell on the millions that may have suffered while the industry moved fast and broke things.

Again, with no right answer for every situation, you and your team as the business owners must determine what is best for your situation? Is the industry you are operating in best suited for a new “tortoise” company operating under the radar, progressing steadily, and methodically towards their goals? These are the slow growers, the typically boring niche businesses, which depending on the industry and specific circumstance, can be incredibly effective. These businesses invest time in understanding their niche, building a robust foundation, and planning sustainable growth. They aren't about sprinting like their “hare” competitors; they're about pacing and, ultimately, enduring.

This is an approach that works for many, but perhaps not for you and your specific circumstance. Do yourself a favor and determine which style suits you, your business partners, and depending on your circumstance, your investors, customers, and significant others.

If you were to ask me which business I’d be more interested in, I'm Team Tortoise. But I’m obviously biased and prefer situations where startup success comes from endurance, sustainability, and happy constituents rather than rushed products requiring endless quick fixes and confused constituents.

As in the fable, with your business, the hare might seem to take the lead initially, but it’s highly likely that the tortoise's consistency and perseverance will go the distance. Which style you prefer is up to you. The important part is that you keep moving.

Interested in reading more? Here’s a sample of my book: https://a.co/bvFXici