"Wantrepreneurs, having sold a narrative to investors and themselves, become captive to it. Contradictory evidence becomes something to explain away rather than adapt to. Customer feedback that doesn't fit the story gets dismissed as "not understanding the vision." The narrative becomes a prison, not a hypothesis."
Great post and the last line from the above quote is a great way to audit one's company.
At Azabu Foods, I never set out to “be a founder.” More just obsessed with the flavor gaps and opportunities that I saw living in Japan and going to the US often for family and business.
Everything so far has come from solving problems we cared deeply about along with a real passion about food and Japan.
Not because it looked good on a pitch deck, but because it needed to exist.
Maybe why I need to do so much work on my pitch deck now every time I submit... sigh...
The founders you mention, they’re the real deal. And your piece beautifully captures the quiet, unsexy work of building something that lasts.
Thank you for this.
Will be translating and sharing with several folks here in Tokyo!
"Wantrepreneurs, having sold a narrative to investors and themselves, become captive to it. Contradictory evidence becomes something to explain away rather than adapt to. Customer feedback that doesn't fit the story gets dismissed as "not understanding the vision." The narrative becomes a prison, not a hypothesis."
Great post and the last line from the above quote is a great way to audit one's company.
Thanks for sharing!
GREAT post
This hit home, Brian.
At Azabu Foods, I never set out to “be a founder.” More just obsessed with the flavor gaps and opportunities that I saw living in Japan and going to the US often for family and business.
Everything so far has come from solving problems we cared deeply about along with a real passion about food and Japan.
Not because it looked good on a pitch deck, but because it needed to exist.
Maybe why I need to do so much work on my pitch deck now every time I submit... sigh...
The founders you mention, they’re the real deal. And your piece beautifully captures the quiet, unsexy work of building something that lasts.
Thank you for this.
Will be translating and sharing with several folks here in Tokyo!