Three Lessons on Mastering Ambiguity from the +Impact Studio
I’m amazed by entrepreneurs’ tolerance for ambiguity. Every day, they’re faced with a dizzying number of questions: Do I have the right resources? What do I prioritize? Can my company handle this risk? Their decisions create order out of chaos, all while inspiring others to believe in and trust their vision.
So, when I heard that the +Impact Studio Founders Program at Michigan Ross would put 6 teams of student entrepreneurs and impact business designers through a 13-week crash-course in putting their business ideas to the test, it’ll come as no surprise that I was eager to be a part of it. The program wrapped in August, and each team had the opportunity to present their learnings to fellow innovators and investors. As it turns out, the insights from this program can teach us all a thing or two about innovation and navigating ambiguity.
Lesson #1: Build up, and build quick
Sometimes, the best way to confront ambiguity is to start building something and see what works. Every founder explored prototyping this summer, but I was struck by the quick testing of Plucky Comics, a web app that tells the story of Black queer historical figures through the medium of comics. Days into the start of the program, founders Nathan Alston and Daniella Gennaro launched an Instagram campaign for Pride Month that featured beautifully designed comic book covers of Black queer historical figures like Sylvester, James Baldwin, Lorraine Hansberry, and Marsha P. Johnson. The campaign acted as a proof point for the impact of their idea, helping clarify what else needed to happen in order to scale the idea and form partnerships with local comic book stores and educational systems.
Fit With Ayo also embraced a fast and lean approach to building solutions. A health and wellness company focused on making fitness accessible and inclusive for all women, Fit With Ayo was founded by Ayodele Ojo, a certified personal trainer and public policy undergraduate student at University of Michigan. She started the summer with lots of questions on her company’s focus, mission statement, and how to integrate new products. Instead of drifting towards “analysis paralysis,” Ayodele went straight to her existing customer base to uncover key needs and uncovered a new idea: a monthly subscription box to help her clients follow through on their health and wellness goals. Both Plucky Comics and Fit With Ayo show us the value of testing quickly and putting content out in the world to see what sticks and what doesn’t.
Lesson #2: Keep reimagining the status quo
Many great businesses are born from turning an existing solution on its head. So, it’s fitting that several founders from the program set out to create alternative solutions, but two in particular embraced the power of asking questions to confront ambiguity.
EQuity is a learning and development platform that focuses on advancing racial justice by developing emotional intelligence. It is the vision of dual MBA/MSW student Justin Woods, who saw a problem in how most professional development programs address social justice and racial equity. Most large corporations host 90-minute professional development training sessions that deliver content but do little to shift mindsets or develop lasting behavior change. So, he designed his own innovative online platform, EQuity Online, that rethinks how we learn about racial justice and equity. Courses on EQuity Online are competency-based, offering individuals a safe environment to ask questions and develop their emotional intelligence in order to effectively engage in dialogue and action towards racial justice. His bias towards action and thoughtful questioning drives his work, pushing him to adapt and hone his vision to best meet his target market’s needs.
A second venture from the summer program that is redefining the status quo is Studio X, an animation company that emboldens daring creatives with new stories, expansive ideas, and expert know-how so they can democratize entertainment. Founder Seth St. Pierre, a graduate of the Stamps School of Art & Design, was frustrated by the incestuous nature of the entertainment industry and wondered what would happen if it valued people over profits. He was left with a simple, thought-provoking question: “What if the entertainment industry used a portion of the billions of dollars of revenue it earns every year to teach communities around the world to create and to take risks?” By rethinking the entire entertainment industry, Seth has been able to gain more clarity on what’s needed to bring his vision to life and what levers and systems need to be established to make it a reality.
Lesson #3: When in doubt, focus on what keeps you motivated.
Looking to what motivates and inspires you is another effective tool for navigating ambiguity. Venture Field Guide took this lesson to heart. Initially framed as a journal to support entrepreneurs as they navigate the ups and downs of running their business, the Venture Field Guide has since expanded to incorporate a sustainability component. Founder Jess Halter (MS/MBA) is a passionate sustainability advocate and wondered how her idea could be used for the good of the planet. She’s now inspired to expand her idea and incorporate science-based climate education to help journal-ers reduce their impact on an individual level and guide them towards a more intentional life.
One company from the +Impact Studio Founders Program experienced so much change it doesn’t have a new name yet — but it does have a clear vision that will help it navigate future decisions. Undergraduate engineering students, Cindy Gu, Edward Huang, Raeed Rasul, and Ronit Twary first developed a tool to help teachers integrate feedback in the classroom. But when faced with little market traction and the realization that this wasn’t a core passion for the group, they decided to pivot. They all loved sports, so they used that as motivation and set out to understand how to equip young athletes with accessible training on mental health, nutrition, and managing stress through mentorship with fellow athletes.
By testing quickly, challenging the status quo, and looking to what keeps you motivated, we can all be better equipped at handling ambiguity.
