⚾ A Changeup to Blitzscaling
It's common to find startup leaders drawing analogies from the world of sports to articulate their strategies or outcomes, and baseball analogies are no different. A "home run" might signal a breakthrough success, or a "single" might reflect a modest gain. Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, introduced us to the concept of 'blitzscaling', a type of company building synonymous with throwing fastball pitches - hard, fast, and designed to strike out the competition.
However, in a recent tweet, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian questioned the effectiveness of this high-speed, high-risk growth strategy. This stirs up a debate: is being the first to scale always the best move? It's a question worth pondering.
Most industry analysts agree on the phenomenon of "winner takes most" in the startup world. However, I argue that these 'winners' are often the result of thousands of carefully made small decisions, rather than the mere advantage of being the first out of the gate.
Drawing again from our baseball analogy, consider an alternate strategy. Instead of throwing fastball pitches, what if startups adopted a slower burn approach, prioritizing methodical execution and precise product placement? Here's where we introduce the Eephus pitch to the game.
In baseball, an Eephus pitch is an intentionally slow, high-arcing toss that bewilders batters due to its unexpected pace and trajectory. It's a pitch that disrupts the game, providing a counterpoint to the fastballs typically expected.
Startup CEOs, as the pitchers of their teams, could benefit from introducing the 'Eephus' into their strategies. Here's why:
Patience Breeds Precision: In the startup world, growing sustainably often means making thousands of small, calculated decisions. Slowing down, akin to the Eephus pitch, allows leaders to gather and analyze data before making strategic moves. This leads to more informed decision-making and better-targeted product solutions. An Eephus strategy prioritizes the development of a solid product or service that perfectly fits market supply and demand, rather than rushing to be first. This focus on customer needs fosters a loyal user base, paving the way for sustainable growth.
Mitigate Burn Rate: Blitzscaling often entails a rapid burn rate. On the other hand, a slower, more methodical growth strategy often means more effective resource allocation, extending your startup's runway and providing a better chance at long-term success.
Flexibility and Adaptability: The Eephus pitch surprises and confuses batters because it's not what they're expecting. Similarly, a startup that doesn't always conform to the breakneck speed of blitzscaling can navigate the changing landscape with more agility, adapting to new market trends and customer needs.
In this new funding environment, startups must rethink the incessant pressure to blitzscale. Just as baseball pitchers have an array of throws in their repertoire, startup CEOs must diversify their strategies beyond merely being the first to scale.
The startup Eephus - a methodical, slower-paced approach to growth - allows for careful decision-making & fosters a customer-centric culture, mitigates the burn rate, and increases adaptability. These aspects could prove decisive in the unforgiving, dynamic world of startups.
Like in baseball, the game of startups isn't won by who throws the hardest or fastest, but by who plays the smartest. Sometimes, a well-placed Eephus pitch can change the game, especially when it’s time to prioritize efficiency over speed.