Startups and sailing have more in common than you'd think. Here is what I learned during a recent sailing trip:
Startups and sailing have more in common than you'd think. Here is what I learned during a recent sailing trip:
Last week, I skippered a 45-foot sailing yacht with a crew of six.
No pitch decks, product demos or reaction optimization runs.
Just wind, waves, and a lot of ropes.
And yet, I kept thinking about ReactWise.
Because skippering a boat and running a startup are more alike than you'd think:
1) The plan is almost never the reality
On paper, you sail from Island A to Island B.
But then the wind shifts, the swell picks up and suddenly your destination is directly upwind - and you need to tack your way there.
Startups are no different.
You start with a roadmap but then a client’s priorities change, a new regulation comes out of nowhere and a new opportunity opens up.
You can’t force your original plan - You adjust course, without losing sight of the goal.
2) Storms can come fast
A clear sky can turn into a thunderstorm in 15 minutes.
Startups are just as volatile.
Market signals change, a hot lead goes cold or a fundraise stalls.
As a skipper or a founder, your job is to read the early signs - and act before the storm hits.
3) A great crew beats great individuals.
On a boat, one person mishearing a manoeuvre can be dangerous - a swinging boom or big wave can put lives at risk.
Everyone needs to stay alert, communicate early, and trust each other.
Startups are no different.
Success isn’t about individual brilliance - it’s about how well the team works together when things go off-script.
Startups, like sailing, are a team sport.
And it’s not the calm that defines you.
It’s how you handle the chaos.
