Over the past year I’ve read a lot of interesting posts about Less is More, Small is the New Big, and mentions of the two of them.

And I’ve been thinking about them. A lot.

From an entrepreneur’s perspective I think that they’re not right. They’re not wrong either though. Here’s my conclusion: entrepreneurs need Less & More. (very profound don’t you think?)
Less & More.

An entrepreneur needs:

• More Niche. When starting up the entrepreneur needs to niche the company more than ever. Find a foothold. Secure yourself. Climb.
• Less Initial Funding. The business plan is untested, the market is unproven. Is  money ever more expensive?
• More Consulting. You’re starting something because you’re an expert. Do it for others early on and earn the cash that you will need for your own project.
• Less Spreadsheet-centric Forecasts. Don’t sweat the numbers too much, you’re going to prove them wrong tomorrow anyway.
• More Wild Guesses. Wild guesses become informed estimates. Informed estimates become reliable forecasts. (I read this someplace, but can’t recall where. If you know, please let me know so that I can reference it here and in my brain)(UPDATE: This comes from an article in the May/June issue of Harvard Business Review written by Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble)
• Less Hires. The World Is Flat. Someone out there can do that task better. For less. Outsource it.
• More Time Building the Team. Make each hire perfect. Delay growth until you find what you’re looking for. Hire for fit over resume. In the early days the team will make or break the organization.
• Less Spending. Manage cash flow above anything else. It’s the most important thing to track early on.
• More Nimble Strategy. You’re world is going to change day to day. Stay on your toes, be aware, and be willing to change with the tide.
• Less Opportunity. You’ve niched yourself. You’ve built the team. Don’t drown in the opportunities that you’ll come across.
• More Execution. As a start-up one of the most important things is going to be execution. You better become good at it, quickly.
• More Innovation. The competition is. right. behind. you.
• Less Money for Innovation. See the new Strategy + Business (free registration required).
• More Customer Service. Delight your customers and you will be rewarded.
• Less Emphasis on Growth. Look for sustaining growth rather than rapid, uncontrollable, growth.
• More Funding Later on. You’ve tested your business plan. You’ve proven your market. Will money ever be less expensive?
• More Social Responsibility. Help others, help the community.

A successful entrepreneur needs both LESS & MORE in his/her toolbox. The real question is which to use and when. There are many more Less & More examples. Any glaring ones that I missed here?

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