You’ve just ditched the suit. Left the corporate world. And have started a new job at a startup.
While you’re adjusting to the smaller (and slightly dirtier) office space and the shift from single latte’s served in thin-rimmed china to Ricoffy drunk out of mugs with comic book characters on the front, you can’t help thinking about the big impact that you’re going to have in the now-small business. You have a vision and can already see the CEO calling you into his corner of the office to congratulate you.
Stop. Take a breath.
Instead of going right for the shoot out the lights projects go for the quick wins first. In your first three to six months focus on quantity. Do your best to be the guy that brings in lots of small clients, finally fixes the printer and puts a recycling bin into the office.
Why?
Three reasons:
1.People remember those who deliver
You want to be known as the guy that gets stuff done. If you’re constantly talking about the big one on the horizon people will stop believing you.
Bringing something new to the table every week will get you noticed. Bringing nothing will get you noticed too…
2.It hedges your bets
Big projects are just that. They’re big. They are hard to get across the line and it only takes one things to go wrong for all negotiations to fail and for the deal to die. They are high risk.
If by month three your one big deal fails and you’re left with nothing to show for your time it’s unlikely that you’ll reach month four. If 5 of your 20 quick wins in the same period fail your future will look brighter.
3.It sets you up for the big one
Big deals often require a deep understanding of your startup, the environment and all other parties involved. This intimate knowledge comes from time and making mistakes.
Chasing the quick wins allows you to make the mistakes, get used to the pace, build confidence and get better at delivering the goods in your new environment.