Building a business is more like Sculpting than Pottery

The shape your business takes is defined by all the things you say no to. Most people think building a business is like pottery, while in fact its like sculpting.

You start with a block of stone, and slowly chisel away all the unnecessary parts from it. To come up with a beautiful sculpture.

Pottery is the exact opposite btw.

You start with the raw material, and give it the shape you want - you try to build it with a predetermined form. Based on your "vision".

But that rarely happens.

Over the last 5 years I've tried different businesses, discovered so many things that I DON'T want to do, and found some success with only the things that are left out.

• I started a DTC E-commerce business, but didn't want to manage inventory of physical products.
• I started a consulting and freelance business, but didn't want to rent my time for money.
• I started an agency business, but didn't want to hire people to scale.
• I didn't start high ticket B2B SaaS because I didn't want to do direct sales.
• I prefer selling to individuals - consumers and prosumers, instead of enterprises. And I prefer product led growth instead of sales led growth - so I have to stick to low ticket B2C products.
• I didn't want to monetize via sponsorships, that's why my community is paid, heavily moderated and has to be operated in a high touch manner. Compared to a free group infested with spam and self promotion.
• For all of these reasons all my products have a self serve model and major growth channels have to be SEO and social media.

So many of these decisions are made based on all the things I've said NO to in the last 5 years.

It's like chipping away tiny bits of tactics and strategies that you don't want to do - and whatever is left is the shape your business takes.

Of course, this shape is a reflection of your own personality as a founder.

Which extends the argument - not just your business, but your personality is formed by all the things that you say no to.

Building a life is like sculpting, not like pottery.

What do you think?