Why entrepreneurs should always buy coffee in a take-away cup

Nassim Taleb in Anti-fragile talks about the importance of optionality. In an increasingly volatile and uncertain world, you want to always have options.

That’s why I always order a take-away coffee, even for st-down meetings. Other than the consistent taste of coffee out of a cardboard cup, a take-away gives me options.

What happens if I feel like walking and talking?

What happens if there’s a fire alarm?

What happens if I want to pretend to go to toilet but in fact rapidly exit the building to escape person I’m meeting?

If I have a regular coffee mug, I’m screwed. Faced with a choice to abandon coffee or do what I don’t want to do, I generally go with the former.

Take-away coffee gives you options. Entrepreneurs need options.

Originally published at The Big Almanack.