Gurbaksh Chahal once regarded “Always bite your tongue…and don’t burn bridges.’ But I find that increasingly hard to do. It’s an ideal trait to have, but I think it’s perhaps a luxury of the rich? You see, every day I take calculated risks. And I don’t have time to waste on grave uncertainties. As a matter of fact, if it wasn’t for the calm, collective, and diplomatic partners and advisers I have around me, I would have terminated that relationship a long time ago.

Why? Because for me it’s a race to the finish line. Even when there is no threat in sight, I assume that there is a hidden competitor waiting to pounce on the opportunity. And more often than not, as I read about the industry I work in or pour over new developments, I discover more players vying for the piece of the pie. Especially those who I have not come across because we changed pivot and forayed in to a new direction with our business. Remember: just as you see competition, competition sees you.

So here I am, 3 months down the drain with no minimum viable product in sight, a stagnant customer development process, and nothing to show for the fictional work that was apparently going on behind the scenes.

The lessons learned here for me are about trust, transparency, and accountability. And those are principles I cannot sacrifice on regardless of the money, complexity, or authority involved.