Either or

“Let’s hire Sally – she’s looking for a new role, and I could use some help.”

“Let’s spend £20K on branding – visual identity is important!”

“Let’s launch this new product, it sounds like a great idea.”

What do those statements have in common? They all justify a choice that’s already been made, without looking at the big picture. If we included the big picture, things might sound a bit different:

“I hired Sally and now I can’t afford to hire Eva, even though I desperately need someone with Eva’s skills.”

“I spent £20K on branding, and now I don’t have enough money to keep me afloat while I search for product-market fit.”

“I am super busy launching this product, so I have zero capacity to launch that other product, which seems like a much more promising one.”

I get it. I also want it all (depressingly true) – and ideally yesterday. But with big decisions, it is helpful to not simply justify the option we’re already leaning towards; it’s equally important to flip the switch and look at the trade-offs. In a small and scrappy company, by opening one door we’re almost always closing another one. It’s worth knowing which door that is and what’s behind it, so that we can make an informed choice – rather than blindly stumbling into it.

Love and cash flow,

Jana