A VC in Vacationland

One of my first summer jobs after I had a car and driver’s license was delivering pizza. I vividly remember my first day on the job.

I showed up at the door of my customers, often fellow high school students, with the pizzas and a big smile on my face.  They stuffed money in my hand, grabbed the pizza and shut the door in my face, rarely paying any attention to me or even thanking me for the delivery.  It took me a few deliveries to figure out that "it’s all about the pizza, not the delivery person", and to accept my fate as a mere conveyor of dinner.

Entrepreneurs often get carried away and begin to think that they are the raison d’etre for their company. Start ups can be the ultimate power trips for executives who have never before been entrusted with so much authority and money.  Well, hello, it’s the results (the pizza) that everyone is after, not you, genius.

Remember the business plan with all the projected revenues, profits, product development, and customer acquisition goals and promises?  That’s what your investors and team are waiting to see happen. They care little about you or your next career move.  They want the pizza, they want it hot and they want it when promised.

So how do you best avoid getting lost in a power trip?

Your best friends inside the company are your best allies. Make sure you tell them early and often to let you know when you are behaving like a jerk or worst yet, like a little demigod.

Second, don’t get carried away and try and manage every detail of your start up. Remember Jimmy Carter?  For those of you too young to remember, he was president of the US before Ronald Reagan.  He tried to micromanage the federal government.  Jimmy made a big mistake.  Most any organization or company has a tough time succeeding under micromanagement.  We ended up electing a president who didn’t try and manage the government much at all, just the big, global picture stuff (like economically defeating the Soviet Union).  He had much better results. Rather than micromanaging your start up, rely on your team to get it done, with your coaching.

Finally, keep asking yourself if you are doing a good job.  If you have any doubts, consult with your board and investors. Sometimes they are reluctant to say anything until it is too late to repair any damage.  Don’t wait until no options remain except to replace you.

Remember, it’s all about the pizza, not the delivery person.