What biking has taught me about business

I took up biking over the summer, largely as a way to lose some weight and get in shape. I learnt a few lessons that apply to business and I share them below.

In bike-speak, I’m what they call a clydesdale, an overweight dude who picks up biking to get fit. I’m glad to see that it’s a trend among techies. Our 100% sedentary jobs and our natural inclination for things intellectual makes it possible to go through life without making any physical efforts. I’ve met fit techies too, but the ratio definitely favors the well-built kind.

Here it goes.

• Like Mark Suster says, be persistent. When I started biking I was in a lot of pain. Even a 4 mile commute would be major. But I kept on going, every day, and my body started getting used to the effort and (very) slowly rewarded me with added stamina. In business, getting to a goal is much more likely if you have a chance to iterate many times over the idea. For example, when it comes to product ideas, following the minimum viable product approach.
• Be prepared. I remember the beginning of my bike commuting was an unmitigated disaster. I forgot my shoes, or some clothes, or the bike lock, or … you name it, I’ve probably forgotten it or kept it at the wrong location. My task at hand (to bike from A to B), seemingly simple, got way overcomplicated because I didn’t have a supporting system. In business, you have to invest in the process to make the outcomes happen in a predictable way.
• Don’t be a loner. Every weekend I would go on these rides by myself. It was fun and everything, but I only made so much progress. Then I joined a biking club, the Potomac Pedalers. Going on rides with other people challenged me and helped me learn about how others, ahead in their cycling prowess, solved the little challenges. In business, you can operate solo, but then every problem is your own problem. You slow down your learning, and it’s harder to spot opportunities. It’s much better to be part of a team. And much more enjoyable.
• Don’t be afraid to ask. There’s so much to learn about biking, and it makes a difference too. Why do they wear those tights? Why do they walk in those funny shoes? Why are those saddles so thin? etc etc… So I’ve driven my friend Steve crazy, and every shop employee at all the local bike shops in herndon and reston… to get the advice. This has helped me so much in all the other goals. In business, you can do it the hard way, or you can ask somebody who’s been there before. But that requires work too. Work to build the relationships with mentors and advisors. And it also requires humility to realize how much you don’t know. And vulnerability to ask a potentially stupid question.

(This post is for my friend Steve)