5 Lessons for Founders from a Galaxy Far, Far Away
By Team Ankur
Being a founder and taking on the lofty challenge of changing our world requires one to awaken the Jedi within. Here are a few thoughts to help you realise your tremendous potential, from our friends in a galaxy far, far away…
1. “You know, that little droid is going to cause me a lot of trouble.” “…Oh, he excels at that, sir.“ — Luke Skywalker and C-3PO
Do you remember the first time Han Solo and Luke met? Not exactly on the best terms, right? That’s how working with people can be at times. Some will be slower than you, some too fast for their own good, some think in black and white and some come with their own 50 shades of grey. However, what keeps Han and Luke working together is their common vision and free-spiritedness; they are both cowboys at heart. Recognise the cowboy in another, nurture it even, and always know that as long as you share a lofty goal and some basic human (or droid) values, you can work with anyone!
2. “There IS still good in him.” — Luke Skywalker
Obi -Wan Kenobi tells Luke that his father once had the Force in him strongly, and that he wanted to train him to be a Jedi, but he was wrong. To which Luke says that even though his father might have been seduced by the Dark Side of the Force, there was still good in him and he could feel it.
Founders follow a rigorous hiring process and oftentimes, train them to deliver the best. More often than not, some people get left behind, not because they are lazy or incapable, but because of a host of other reasons. Such as trying to be existential at the same time as being a new parent and not getting enough zzzzs at night, or living far from the office and having to deal with a brutal commute (this obviously applies to the glorious days when we used to commute to work). Others can be psychological, such as being an introvert and finding it hard to speak in front of crowds, but not impacting their performance in the specific roles they have chosen. Even when someone is not performing up to mark, they deserve the opportunity to prove themselves again. Or be rotated to another role more befitting. Founders should ideally be good judges of human character, look for the gem within, and offer support when needed, rather than reject or fire outright.
3. “Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” — Yoda
The above is a succinct foreshadowing of Anakin’s eventual fall. He embodies fear, anger and hate when he picks Palpatine over the Jedi. Entrepreneurship is about risk-taking first, then anything else. And founders are supposed to rush in where angels fear to tread. Philosophically speaking, all of life and all our experiences can be viewed through that lens — fear is the flipside of faith. At the risk of sounding like Yoda, it must be killed when it rises or else It will shadow the light in us.
With the startup ecosystem becoming so robust, all a founder has to do is reach out to mentors, advisors, investors and other well wishers in the ecosystem who can be the Yoda to the Jedi in them!
4. “Do or do not, there is no try.” — Yoda
There are different interpretations of this one, and this is what I think Yoda meant. Luke was tired and defeated even though he was practising hard all day. When he is so in the thick of preparing for victory, he can’t see himself as being successful. It leads him to overthink and overanalyse, which most of us are guilty of, from time to time. But founders are supposed to be dashing warriors leading us into a new world where businesses meet the 3P criteria of Planet, People and Profitability. They can’t afford to second-guess themselves; trying to accomplish something in a hesitant mood is doomed to fail. It can also lead to rationalising failure, making it inevitable. So what Yoda is telling Luke is the Nike way — Just do it! Don’t overthink your game after readying for the battle. Go with confidence and the Force will guide you.
5. “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.” — Yoda
Personally this is my favourite and I interpret it to mean we are ethereal beings with unlimited power and must feed our souls to make our light shine brighter. For the Nikola Tesla lover in me and you, I also think it alludes to his statement to think of the universe in terms of energy, frequency and vibration, which essentially is the Holy Grail of everything in the world.
For the entrepreneur in you, please remember that Yoda delivers it to Luke when he is doubting his own gifts. When his fighter sinks into the mire of Dagobah and Luke fails to retrieve it, Yoda tells him not to be daunted by the ship’s size, to feel the Force around him, through him, with him, and encourages him to overlook the vastness of what he is against. To think in terms of light, spirit and energy, and not size. To take on bigger guys on their own turf and deliver a knockout if it comes to that to win. To have an intent so focused and clear that everything in the universe conspires to make it happen for you. To change the rules of the game by challenging the limits you have imposed on yourself.
Because remember, the Force is with you, always.
(If you are a movie buff and innovating for the next billion users, do reach out to us at info@ankurcapital.com!)
