The Wisdom List: Leif Abraham

Focus until it hurts. Simply avoiding opportunities you aren’t interested in anyway is not a sign of focus. True focus involves sacrifice. That means turning away from opportunities you believe could be highly impactful, for the sake of something bigger. Succeeding in doing so is a superpower. 

Prepare for anomalies. Building a startup requires extraordinary adaptability. What seems fixed one day may be fluid the next. To capitalize on volatility, it’s worth preparing a playbook for low-probability, high-impact events. When the next Black Swan hits, your business will be ready.

Create an emotional connection with users. Some companies have users, others have fans. The difference is emotional connection and mission alignment. Building a true fanbase helps acquisition, product development, competitive differentiation and retention.