Perfection is Killing Your Startup’s Success

Many startups struggle with striking the right balance between quality and efficiency as they scale. What they lack in resources or revenue, they may try to make up for in quality and uniqueness. In theory, this is understandable—commendable, even. In practice, however, working overly hard to create a “perfect” product, program, email or post can rob you of growth and success in the long run.

While wanting to impress others with your ability to get everything right is natural, the reality is that perfection is likely unattainable, and pretending it is attainable will waste your time. Time that can and should be spent exploring new ideas, putting prototypes in front of stakeholders, and addressing known issues. We have dreams and aspirations of becoming the next Bezos or Zuckerberg and think flawless execution is the way to get there, but at the end of the day, efficiency is key to maximizing revenue.

Let’s take a look at how perfection may be thwarting your growth and some ideas for what to do instead.

1. The startup world evolves rapidly.

In tech and software, this is especially true. New and improved features and capabilities are released regularly, and change is the only constant.

Waiting to perfect anything could mean your product is no longer novel or relevant by the time it hits the market, risking losing its edge over competitors.

Does this mean quality control is pointless? Of course not. It would be unacceptable to deliver an incomplete, ineffective product. However, you can deliver an effective but slightly lower quality product if it means having time to complete more valuable, revenue-driving tasks.

2. Your time is valuable.

Time is one of the most important factors for startups. Many executives of startups find themselves doing the “grunt work” of their business—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes that’s what it takes to deliver results.

However, you also will need to maximize the value of your time and carefully assess where your energy and skills are best spent. Even if someone else cannot do the task perfectly, your time may be more valuable building repertoire with stakeholders or negotiating with vendors. Evaluate what tasks you can outsource and weigh the costs and benefits. For example, finding a trustworthy partner to outsource administrative accounting and payroll tasks may free up precious time that could be invested in product innovation.

3. Feedback is the fastest path to improvement.

Expectations can vary significantly depending on the perspective of the user. Your team may believe they have achieved the “perfect” product until a user touches it, and you’re back down to 80% with less time to fix it.

Instead of wasting time ironing out the small details, put the prototype or rough draft in front of stakeholders or beta testers. Allow them to identify pertinent shortcomings. Your time will be better spent addressing their very real concerns than those that may not even matter.

Shift your perspective

Focus on standing out. As a startup, the status quo is your enemy. You must stand out to gain attention from the market. So, make sure you are using your time to demonstrate why your startup is unique instead of comparing it to some unrealistic expectation or product.

Delegate or postpone tasks that are not time-sensitive or quality-critical. Startups often have small teams and it is not uncommon for everyone’s plate to be full. Work with your staff to prioritize tasks and ensure the important ones are getting done—even if not perfectly.

Finetune the balance between efficiency and effectiveness. While we don’t want to compromise on quality, the bottom line is serving clients a functional product or service. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does have to work.

Set attainable goals. Unrealistic expectations hinder your progress and create unnecessary stress for your team. You can’t do everything yourself, so give your team time to work on the tasks that matter and that they’re passionate about. This will keep your startup alive and enable you to reach your long-term goals.

Ask for help. The right advisor for your business can help identify strategies to manage risk, fuel profitability, and boost cash flow. A holistic approach across tax, assurance and other managed services will yield the best results.

Perseverance versus Perfection

To consider whether something is perfect, you must compare it to something else. Perfection is relative and means little when you’re testing novel ideas and concepts. More importantly, achieving perfection requires you to chase down every tiny detail—even the ones that won’t impact your bottom line.

Stop obsessing over the small things that don’t matter. Embrace change and learn how to grow in uncertainty and hardship, because perseverance is the true key to success.

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Aprio is the brand name under which Aprio, LLP, and Aprio Advisory Group, LLC, deliver professional services. Since 1952, clients throughout the U.S. and across more than 50 countries have trusted Aprio for guidance on how to achieve what’s next. As a premier business advisory and accounting firm, Aprio Advisory Group, LLC, delivers advisory, tax, managed and private client services to build value, drive growth, manage risk and protect wealth, and Aprio, LLP, provides audit and attest services. With proven experience and genuine care, Aprio serves individuals, entrepreneurs, and businesses, from promising startups to market leaders alike. Aprio has grown to 2,000+ team members providing solutions to clients in industries including manufacturing and distribution, non-profit and education, professional services, real estate, construction, restaurant, franchise and hospitality, government contracting and technology and blockchain.

Meredith Kowal works with companies all over the world from startups to multinational corporations to save money and fund innovation through tax savings strategies.