I am fairly certain that I have yet to peak as a golfer, and equally confident that I never will.
As I’m on the verge of ignoring the golfing gods (and worshipping the startup gods) for yet another full summer, my confidence in the previous statement is growing. To appease the golfing gods, I used some time-tested golf maxims to convey the lessons (read boulders) that the startup gods have recently thrown at me.
My body is here, but my mind has teed off. (Unknown)
From the age of 10, when I first started playing golf, until I left for college, I spent the majority of my waking moments on a golf course or thinking about golf. If you are a founder, the best question you can ask yourself is: “Do I feel this way about my business?” If the answer is “yes,” then you have a chance to succeed. If not, I would start looking for your next move.
I don’t exaggerate—I just remember big. (Chi Chi Rodriguez)
Chi Chi was best known for waving his putter like a sword in celebration of every putt he made. He was one of the best showmen the game has ever known. As a result, he always had a huge gallery. Why? Because Chi Chi knew how to celebrate his accomplishments in an endearing way.
Knowing how to tout your company’s exploits in an endearing way is a vital challenge for entrepreneurs. We have all met the founders who have the world conquered. Nothing is a problem. They are “going to crush it.” When I meet founders like this, I immediately move to suspicion. I become more of an adversary than a fan. Conversely, there are those founders who we all root for. Their passion, like Chi Chi’s, is evident. Rather than trying to ram their success down your throat, they implicitly ask you to see how neat their product or service is. They build a fan base.
When I die, bury me on a golf course so my husband will visit. (Unknown)
I went to Summit Series in May, an unbelievable event, and had a chance to hear Mark Cuban and Ted Leonsis speak on balancing relationships with startups. I left thinking that both men are super impressive and equally insightful.
Mark Cuban stated, and perhaps the quote’s author would agree, that there is no room in a founder’s life for a relationship when launching a business. Ted Leonsis respectfully