Motorcycle Racing and Startup Success
It’s essential that you make conscious choices about how you divide your attention.
In his motorcycle road racing book, “A Twist of The Wrist”, author Keith Code highlights an important truth that’s just as valid for startup entrepreneurs as racing motorcyclists:
“Attention, and where you spend it is a key element in how well you will function. Attention has its limits.”
His point is sometimes you spend attention on throttle and sometimes you spend it on lean angle. You get the idea — where and how much attention you spend depends on circumstances and your success demands appropriate investments of this finite resource.
Startups are the same.
Which is why we provide 6 focus areas into which we recommend companies divide their attention based on conscious decisions. These are the Startup Alliance Key Performance Indicators.
Startup Alliance Key Performance Indicators:
- Capital — Does your company have sufficient operating capital
- Cash Flow — Is your revenue greater than your expenses
- Differentiation — Does your target market believe your product is unique
- Growth — Is your company achieving your growth targets
- Product/Market Fit — Does your target market demonstrate demand for your product
- Team — Does your company have the people it needs
We provide tools to track and optimize these SAKPIs to help your team focus their attention when and where it matters. How much attention you spend on each will vary as circumstances demand — but it’s essential you consciously divide this finite resource.
And by the way, here’s another great quote from Keith:
“The things you don’t understand are the things that will take up most of your attention.”
Amen.