STARTUP LESSONS FROM FISHING: 2 in a series

I just returned from a week of fly fishing on one of California's prime trout rivers, the McCloud. Along side the blue green running water I camped with my best friend. During our long ride up and back in my Jeep we had time to catch up and share a lot of what was going on in our lives. After each day of great fishing, I cooked a delicious camp dinner and we talked further, until we were ready to climb into our sleeping bags and quickly sink into a deep, restful sleep.

Today I thought I'd share with you more of the lessons for startups that you'll find in fishing.

1. Use guides. Fishing guides are professionals who know the waters well. They keep you out of danger (you can drown, get bitten by a poisonous snake, attacked by a bear). They know where the fish hang out. They know what flies and lures attract the fish. They add fun to fishing. First time founders benefit similarly from experienced people. Mentors add wisdom and a personal insight. Advisors bring  domain expertise. Serial entrepreneurs offer tips from the school of hard knocks. Smart first time entrepreneurs use all of them.
2. Learn from experienced people. Fishing is learned on the water by fishing next to experienced fishers. Startup leaders do the same. They get to work and find others in startups nearby to talk to and learn from. That leads to friendships that are very valuable when the dark days arrive.
3. Make your own decisions. It is up to the fisher to make the cast, fish the fly and land the fish. You can't fish with someone fishing for you. You have to make the decisions by yourself. Fishing is not a committee sport. Neither is doing a startup. As CEO, you will have to make the final decisions by yourself. It is up to you to decide and execute.
4. Trust yourself. When I cast, I do it best when I trust my cast to be successful. When I have confidence in the fly I choose, it catches the most fish. Startup leaders need to trust their choices. The unknowns are large but the reward will come from acting with trust in your decisions.

BOTTOM LINE: Startups are a people business. Helpers are valuable, so find and use them. Then make up your mind, decide, and act with trust in your decisions. When you do that, you'll add a powerful element to building your unfair advantage.