Clarity in execution

Calvin Ling
Aug 25, 2017 · 1 min read

I gave a difficult “no” last week to a company. The no’s aren’t easy, but they’re the name of the game in my world. I really liked their vision: I honestly think they’re the first education-related startup that truly understands how tech can be integrated into curricula.

But, the company fell short on execution.

I should say that the company fell short on clarity in execution, not just execution as a whole. They already managed to build distribution channels across the states in some major retailers, an impressive feat.

They didn’t have clarity in what they were executing on: their product launch plan fell short. Whenever we pressed them on specifics, they never seemed to be able to give a solid answer for exactly what product they were going to ship later this year. There were a lot of good ideas, but the founders did not specify which ideas would make it to the next step. Especially with consumer-facing products, it’s crucial that a company knows the near-term execution plan. If you don’t have a near-term plan, you certainly don’t have a long-term plan.

Being able to execute is one thing. That’s just a matter of hitting the pavement hard enough. Being able to execute from a plan is entirely different.

)
Calvin Ling

Written by

Stanford MS&E '16. Associate at 415.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade