Growing up, my family was a member of COWS (Couples on Wheels) a Midwest based tandem bicycle club. At the annual rally I was often recruited to various teams as a “Climber,” somebody who leans in to aggressively charge up big hills. As each ride was typically 50 or 100 miles, I would spend the majority of the ride coasting along, saving energy for hills and the occasional sprint.
The parallels between this and being an entrepreneur are not lost on me. As a leader, it’s my job to put together and guide a team for the long run, leaning in during key moments to help push us over the mountain top. Building a startup is exactly this. It’s a marathon, with the occasional sprint and hill that must be overcome.