Momentum Mountain

From the moment we decide, a force is required. Strategic action geared to find, and then maintain momentum.

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“Inspiration is perishable – act on it immediately.” -Naval Ravikant

Meaningful momentum is awakened in endless ways. Early momentum might mean showing up at an event for the first time, researching the competitive landscape, testing an early hypothesis, leaning into customer discovery, considering potential co-founders, building product, and eventually activating a launch sequence.

Once a project is launched, the need for momentum gets stronger. It only becomes more important. There are a world of examples, but growing the business, achieving milestones, and celebrating progress are all forms of valuable momentum. Even in later stages of a company, momentum drives activities like succession planning, navigating exit paths, and considering how your human, financial, cultural, intellectual, and network capital can be recycled back into the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

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Need help regaining momentum?
Connect at BenMcDougal.com

If momentum is maintained long enough, the result can be a flywheel effect that feeds on itself. Most things you want to grow require attention, but with less friction, momentum delivers bonus time and valuable understandings. Space for new activity emerges and that keeps things interesting.

The tough reality may be that if momentum is melting, it’s difficult to recapture. Once something melts, it’s never quite the same. These dips are moments to consider when and what to quit. If there’s enough energy to keep going, there may be a way to keep building.

Like the opening quote reminds us, inspiration is perishable. The longer stagnancy lingers, the farther you get from momentum. Tactics to maintain kamiwaza, even when momentum is melting, starts with communication. Honest communication adds clarity and is the easiest way to appreciate the realities of slowness. Reducing the weird by exposing the why, also keeps different stakeholders on the same page. By reducing the tension that quietly brews in silence, teams may be able to run at lower speeds, even during lethargic times. If left unattended however, this can devolve into a lack of urgency that brings another set of challenges. At lower speeds, perhaps less movement is needed to regain the sense of shared momentum?

That’s a real thought, but a tad boring. When it’s time to thrive, not just survive, sparks fly as initiative is taken. Tactics for climbing a momentum mountain include:

    • Connecting within startup communities
    • Travel and learning something new
    • Saying “yes” to unlock adventure
    • Saying “no” to create space
    • Revisiting customer discovery
    • Building a new feature
    • Considering a pivot
    • Onboarding new customers
    • Adding to the team
    • Have fun, then stay centered on a climb down
    • Whatever else generates joy in your own life

Momentum is crucial to playing long-term games with long-term counterparts. Find a good pace by exploring the momentum you’ll need at different stages of the quest. This awareness helps you quit chasing momentum and sets us free to forge better art at a sustainable speed. Continue to multiply mass and velocity, which equates to momentum when, where, and how it’s needed to stay wild.

Problem Solving

Gerald Beranek is an executionist and a professional problem solver who helps others bring product ideas to life. We talk product design, manufacturing, business, and his new quest. We get reps in on financial modeling, pain relievers vs. vitamins, leadership, and enjoying the process as well. Thanks to Gerald for making the trip to join us in-studio! The results is EP77, which brews timeless value for anyone building a product or leading a team. Cheers!

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BONUS MATERIALS

https://BeratekIndustries.com

https://ConduitDirectGroup.com

http://Problem-Solving.YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com

Roasted Reflections Break: Executionist

http://Manufacturability.YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com

http://Additive-Manufacturing.YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com

http://Make-Better-Things.YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com

https://BenMcDougal.com/resources

http://RoastedReflections.com

http://BENBOT.ai

Agents of Change

Amner Martinez goes for the heart and bridges cultural gaps by inviting us all to tell our stories. Along with The Amner Martinez Podcast and Amplified DSM delivering an inspired environment for podcasters, Infinite Resources connects companies recruiting diverse talent and job seekers looking to fuel positive change within a new team.

If you’ve thought about starting a podcast, Amner and Ben will help you stay creative without a roadmap. After the break, we explore hiring talent and how job seekers can find a team to sing their own song of significance.

LISTEN on APPLE PODCASTS
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BONUS MATERIALS
https://AmplifiedDSM.com
The Amner Martinez Podcast
https://InfiniteResourcesDSM.com
http://Agents-of-Change.YouDontNeedThisPodcast.com
https://BenMcDougal.com/Producing-a-Podcast
http://CollectorHardbackEdition.com
http://RoastedReflections.com
http://FliteBrite.com
http://BENBOT.ai

Aunt Julie

Julie McDougal shares a chat before she retired from IBM. Can you imagine being at IBM for over 35 years?! The featured guest in EP47 has lived on the edge of technology her entire career! Julie worked within the culture and this fun episode is a glance at how she united others. As you’ll hear, Julie is also Ben’s aunt. Fun! Cheers to everyone at IBM and cheers to a long, interesting, and impactful career. Happy retirement, Aunt Julie!

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Cheers to That

Navarr Grevious and Aaron Carter were visiting Des Moines from Miami, for the Black & Brown Business Summit. After QuikLiq won the $50K pitch competition, we found a spot to chat in the wild!

In EP46, we pour innovations into beer, wine, and spirits. We talk about how these co-founders met at Clark Atlanta University, then reunited to build together. We also talk about transitioning a small business to a scalable startup, technology that connects local communities, building a team, how to win pitch competitions, and signals to help you raise financial capital. After the break, you’ll learn about the three-tiered system within the spirits industry and tasty trends you’ll be sipping on soon. I’ll cheers to that!

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