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AlphaGrindset
AlphaGrindset
Series A Startup

The Generalist - #2: Execution is 99%, Picking is 1%. Know what to pick.

Hello Bs & Gs,

Thanks for a positive response to the last post: https://share.gvine.app/EDm3me9JnJSnD3d17

A quick note for today. Over the years, being a generalist, I've realized that it's very tough to know when we're bringing the right impact or not.

In the case of Devs/Designers/Other specialists: The output is quicker and tells the story - an amazing UI/UX, or building well working products.

For generalists, the feedback loop is much longer, it's very unclear what it will amount to (especially at startups), it's the reason why being a generalist is looked down upon, by some people.

My realization has been this: over a 1-2 year period, when you look back at your work, it's the picking that determines how you feel about what you did. And also how others feel about how you did.

PICKING: Knowing what to work on. What to A/B test. What 0 to 1s to pursue. Should you prioritize product idea A or product idea B. Should you experiment with growth channel A or growth channel B. EXECUTION: Taking what you pick from 0 to 1. Knowing when to take it from 1-10. Working to make it happen.

Eventually, most days are execution days. Whether you do good work depends on how well researched & well thought out the 'picking' was.

So pick well, don't under-invest in that stage. Take out time every now and then to course correct.

Know what to pick.

5mo ago
TepidFanny11
TepidFanny11
Freelancer5mo

Write on Substack , it’s tough to read here .

AlphaGrindset
AlphaGrindset
Series A Startup5mo

Hmm yes I do wish they had editing options. Bullets etc. But substack will be too much. I don't have distribution in real life, and would be shy before writing anything anyway :/

TepidFanny11
TepidFanny11
Freelancer5mo

Then try Medium . SEO is good for medium.

Peahen
Peahen
Nothing5mo

I have a few follow up questions on this, really related with my current work situation

  1. How to know what to pick? How to keep doubts away and make the picking more process oriented?
  2. Half way through execution you find dead ends, how soon do you try for pivot? Do you pivot in the first place?
  3. The Uncertainty of execution stretches the picking process. How do you define when to stop picking on picking (pun 😂) and start with execution
Peahen
Peahen
Nothing5mo

Not sure if these questions make sense to you, I just put in where I see myself struggling

AlphaGrindset
AlphaGrindset
Series A Startup5mo

Hey @Pillow

Sharing my thoughts

  1. I'll give a basic example: We were running Meta Ads & Google Ads to drive users on an eComm product to retarget users. An idea for building a community within the product came up. Now this wasn't crazy or anything, but it allowed us to have retouch points for a lot of users, practically for no additional cost (except first time CAC). Without getting into the nitty gritties, what I mean to say is: come up with hypotheses in your free time, what you think may work. It comes from thinking, reading other examples, researching other startups. And then doing.

  2. Half way through execution dead ends: Pivot, yep. I have worked in growth & marketing a lot, and once it's clear that the ROAS or economics for that growth channel just do not make sense (once I have tried everything), I chuck that platform. Unless something new to experiment comes up.

  3. You know when you've picked, when you can't wait to execute on it. That's what I feel. Unless I'm satisfied, I'm still in the discovery phase.

TheOatmeal
TheOatmeal
Stealth5mo

Tum knowledgeable admi hai @AlphaGrindset 🫡

AlphaGrindset
AlphaGrindset
Series A Startup5mo

@TheOatmeal maine toh bas wahi likha jo zindagi ne mujhe dikhaaya

AlphaGrindset
AlphaGrindset
Series A Startup5mo

I apologize in advance if you read through the post think it was about 'pick up' tips 🙏

Golgappaa
Golgappaa
Boston Consulting Group (BCG)5mo

Execution will still be a problem 😂😂

VioletMovie
VioletMovie
Accenture5mo

Picking is an art and most people are never taught this in school. So they suck at it

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