I am NOT building a high-growth startup. Instead, I am building a “high-happiness” startup – more happiness for our team, as well as for our customers.
Not having to chase ‘growth at any cost’ sets you free. We get away without doing any push marketing. We never had to ask anyone to sign up for our bootcamps – we merely inform and educate, and let people decide.
The freedom to walk away from revenue allows us to be honest. If we feel that our program is not right for someone, we advise them not to join. Without the pressure to get customers at any cost, our team has peace of mind.
Does this mean giving up on some growth?
In the short-term, yes. But in the long term, the trust we earn will make up for it.
We are in this for the long term. We want to build HabitStrong so it can last a hundred years – it is hard but we will try.
We don’t want to flip the company to an unsuspecting buyer, who then regrets it. What’s the point of building a Ponzi scheme of VC valuation?
And despite all this, we are still able to grow, but in the right way.
If you are building a startup, I would strongly urge building for the long term. Play the infinite game.
After all, you want the riches not for their own sake but for something much bigger – happiness.
– Rajan
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