Start with Why: A Founder's Question to Problem Solving

Written by Teamway Society member Ayodele Aransiola.

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My entrepreneurial experience began when I was three, 3, years old when I took over my grandmother's store, which had grown from a few plastic bags of sweets to a shop packed with various household things. While she ran her store, I managed my own yogurt shop, which relied on my grandmother's clients for revenue. I was in charge of stockkeeping, the balance sheet, the profit and loss statement, and making sure the business ran well in her absence. As someone who came from a sales background to launch a hospitality firm, I understand the importance of value and market strategy. Your product may have a brilliant application and an amazing team, but if you, as the entrepreneur, is unable to answer WHY the product is needed from the start, you have failed the first test of offering a solution.

Simon Sinek's book "Start with Why" explains the importance of recognizing the deeper purpose behind every undertaking. The book covers some marketing concepts and extends their effect to problem-solving for entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs who take this approach can stimulate new thinking, create purpose-driven solutions, and have a long-term impact on their industries.

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The Importance of Beginning with Why

"Starting with Why" is based on the premise that successful businesses and entrepreneurs focus on why they do what they do rather than what they do or how they do it. This idea is summed up in the proverb, "People don't buy what you do as a founder, but they buy why you do it." The "why" indicates the primary reason, driving force, and overall goal of an action or enterprise. This idea pushes founders to delve into the practical definition of their ventures and to properly express these values to their teams, stakeholders, and users.

When applied to problem-solving, the method begins not with the present obstacle but with a deeper explanation of why that challenge occurs. Founders who take this strategy shift their focus from addressing symptoms to tackling core issues. For example, rather than just looking for a solution to diminishing user engagement on a platform, a founder may investigate why the engagement is waning in the first place, leading to insights about changing user demands or market dynamics.

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Promoting Creative Thinking

Innovation is the currency that fuels growth in the pursuit of entrepreneurial success. The "Start with Why" method naturally fosters creative thinking. Founders are more positioned to think beyond traditional answers when they understand the fundamental purpose and reason behind a challenge. This allows people to break out from the constraints of routine thinking and explore previously unexplored pathways.

Innovative problem-solving is more than just coming up with a solution; it is also about reinventing the problem itself. This strategy frequently results in disruptive solutions that challenge industry norms and open up new avenues of possibility. When entrepreneurs begin with "why," they challenge the status quo and expose themselves to radical ideas that have the potential to alter their sector.

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Creating Solutions with a Purpose

Purpose-driven entrepreneurship has acquired significant traction in recent years. Consumers and stakeholders alike are drawn to businesses that share their values and make a meaningful contribution to society. By beginning with "why," founders may create solutions that align with these beliefs, establishing their businesses for long-term success.

Consider an entrepreneur who wants to develop a product to help people manage their household chores. Instead of focusing solely on how to meet the needs of the users, beginning with "why" entails understanding the goal of the solution and why the users require it.

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Making a Long-Term Impression

The "Starting with Why" strategy promotes an intentional culture within a firm, attracting like-minded employees, customers, and partners who share the same values. Over time, this communal feeling of purpose becomes a powerful driving force, propelling the business toward long-term success and significant societal benefits.

Finally, the "Start with Why" approach acts as a beacon of light for founders going on the difficult path of problem-solving. Entrepreneurs can unlock inventive thinking, produce purpose-driven solutions, and leave a legacy that goes beyond creating income by looking into the basic motives behind their activities. This notion remains a timeless beacon for people striving to make a meaningful difference through their companies as the entrepreneurial landscape evolves.

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