Startup Chutes and Ladders

It takes persistence and willingness to give up control to win

Intro

I have recently left a great experience working for a growth stage startup. I also have a son who loves playing Chutes and Ladders. During one of our recent games, it dawned on me that Chutes and Ladders is great preparation for a startup. At its core, the game requires persistence to overcome a series of moves that move you forward and sometimes backward. You can come from behind to win in Chutes and Ladders even when you seem well behind your competition.

Source: Google Images

Proving the Metaphor

There are a number of elements that make the metaphor come to life:

• Most of the moves you make as a startup are going to move you 1–6 spaces forward towards your ultimate goal.
• As a startup, you can only make a move at a time. Even a well-funded startup can only pursue opportunities in a sequence.
• Occasionally you land an opportunity that moves you up the board much faster. 9% of the spaces have a ladder opportunity with an average move of 23 spaces ranging from 8–56. In the startup world, this is equivalent to achieving a product-market fit or raising a large fundraising round.
• Occasionally you land an opportunity that moves you back towards the start. 10% of…