I recently finished watching Generation Kill, a 7-episodes HBO mini series depicting the advancement of the Marines 1st Reconnaissance Battalion during the war in Iraq in 2003.
Without going into the many political, social and human aspects to the series, what struck me the most was the remarkable resemblance between the Marines activity in their world, to the startup activity in the business world. As I was watching the series, I felt there were 3 main themes I could relate to, and that were analogous to the unique day to day life of a startup company.
Observe Everything, Admire Nothing
While advancing through enemy territory, the Marines are ordered to pay attention to all details, but not to settle their eyes on any one point for too much time, because it can lead to distraction or numbness.
Same goes for a startup company which advances in the competitive market, and should be aware of all aspects of its activity, and yet have no time to go into research and development in fields that are not its core business (as a corporate might).
Marines Make Do
While the other army/navy/air force branches of the military have excellent supplies, Marines have to settle for the equipment they have, and manage to pull through using nothing more than what was readily available.
Same goes for startups, which as opposed to corporates, operate most of the time on a low budget and try to keep a low burn rate, and have to get by with what’s at hand and no more than that.
The Vision Is Clear, The Mission Is Constantly Changing
While the vision of the war is clear to the Marines, the mission is constantly changing. One day you storm an airfield, the other you police civilians in a city. Moreover, it seems that in military terms, there is nothing more agile than a bunch of troops mounted on light humvees.
Same goes for startups, which have a very clear business vision, but usually work in a constantly changing market which dictates a constantly changing mission. One day you develop a feature for your product, the other priorities dictate it’s business development time. And in the business world, no company is more agile than a startup made up of a bunch of entrepreneurs with a clear vision.
Well, stay frosty!
