Why do some young companies thrive while others struggle to find their way?
According to Guy Kawasaki “weaving a MAT” could help us validate our strategy and organize actions.
Young companies function around three things:
Milestones, assumptions, and tasks.
To explain, let's use an ice hockey analogy.
Guy Kawasaki explained this a few years ago.
Imagine a machine smoothing the ice rink, creating a clean surface.
A startup is similar.
You begin with a clean slate.
At the start, it's smooth and clear.
This is where milestones, assumptions, and tasks come in. Let’s break down each one:
1. Milestone focus
Milestones are achievements that increase the valuation of the company.
Our focus was always on the next step.
Always moving closer to our goals.
Milestones were our checkpoints.
Keeping us on the right track.
Our focus was extremely linear—on the next milestone.
2. Assumption validation
At my startup we assumed we would build a product and customers would come.
That was our biggest assumption.
One we should have validated much earlier in our startup journey.
Were we building the right thing?
Did our customers truly want it?
3. Task alignment
We rarely disagreed on what needed to be done.
A clear vision and playing to the founders strengths helped us divide tasks efficiently.
Clarity reduced friction and kept us aligned.
Creating a business gave me the chance to oversee real movement and action.
How about you?
Do you have an untested assumption that should be validated sooner rather than later?
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