Despite being a “successful” founder, I really am poor at several things. These aren’t fake weaknesses that one would share in job interviews. They are things I genuinely stink at and wish I stunk less. I’m disorganized. I’m impulsive. I procrastinate. I’m highly distractible. I have trouble sticking to a timeline. So how have I had one 9-figure outcome & another hypergrowth startup, in spite of my deficiencies? 1. I embrace the cringe. I make audacious asks to customers. I’ll look like an idiot on social media. I’ll push through the discomfort of asking innumerable questions and keep going until I actually understand something. I’ll make an ass out of myself if it means getting more exposure for my business. 2. I’m a one-trick pony. And I don’t feel bad about it. There are a few things I’m world class at. Building organic distribution. Relationship building with execs. And telling a compelling story. I spend 90% of my time sharpening these tools while letting others around me cook in their zones of genius. 3. I’m like a kid. If there’s one thing I’m good at it’s honoring my 5-year-old self. I’m insatiably curious. I probably ask 100+ questions/day to employees, customers, and people in my network. I’m goofy and playful. I can be serious, but most of the time I’m not, because most of what we do in knowledge work, just isn’t that serious. You can find me shooting nerf darts across the office or building a Lego set in between calls. Why do I share all of this? Because first time founder Alex wanted to be great at everything and enjoy every part of building a business. And if he didn’t, he thought something was wrong with him. Nothing was wrong with him. He was exactly what he needed to be and where he needed to be. He just didn’t believe it yet.