Simple thing are always complex. Complexity lies behind everything. We see color coming from our computer screen, but our eyes are translating frequencies of light waves in our brain. The dirt outside is a complex microcosm of bacteria, fungus, and animals that changes radically depending on the environment. A laptop looks like a portable screen and keyboard, but it is an extremely complex machine that squeezes a huge number of components into a very small space. People are good at distilling complex things into seemingly simple concepts. But, to create simple things, we have to be really good at handling complexity.
I’ve rediscovered this reality in the last couple years.
I left my job at Digital Ocean to try my hand at being a co-founder in a startup. As many others have said, starting a startup is extremely challenging. On the surface, there area. couple simple ways of looking at starting a startup. First, you can find a problem, sell a solution to a customer, then build it. This was the simplified story of Vanta where the co-founder had a friend working through compliance, saw an opportunity, and then built it. The second perspective of a startup is where you have a vision and you focus all your energy making it happen. This is the “hustle” and it is critical to be successful. But, it is a lot more complex than that.
The reality is you need both. There has to be a belief in yourself and your product that no one can change your mind about. At the same time, you need an idea that is viable. Viability is subtlety complex as well. The market needs to be willing to pay for your product, but that is not the end of the story.