#26 - Crossing the Rubicon
The die is cast, needing a push, and burning the boats
Well- first chunk of funding secured. No turning back now.
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The Die is Cast
Julius Caesar did a lot of crazy shit. None more so than crossing the Rubicon in 44bc. It marked his invasion of Italy and the start of the civil war that ended the 600 year old Roman Republic.
There’s a wonderful description of him, the night before, pondering what he was about to do. He was calm; playing out in his mind what was to come. The next day, he made the crossing, and famously exclaimed: the die is cast. Indeed.
Once across, he moved with purpose. He took Italy in a matter of weeks through a remarkable combination of speed and clemency. His rivals never recovered. After two years of pursuing them across Europe and Africa he won the civil war and became Rome’s dictator.
He made a plan- a good one as it turned out- and executed on it. Not easily done. The reason I reference this today is because by closing this funding we’re crossing our own Rubicon. In the last three months, Ben and I have spent countless hours debating and revising our pitch deck. We made a plan. After much thought and analysis we placed our bets, and now, with the funds secured, it’s time to execute. The die is cast.
Need a Push
The first step across is the hardest. Especially for my generation; we’re dabblers, always waiting for the perfect timing. Starting a business is a giant leap into the unknown. As a result few people go for it. I suffered from this as much as anyone, until I got lucky. I got pushed.
In 2019, after burning out, I attended the much-discussed silent retreat. I’d love to tell you I arrived back from that with my future clear and quit my job the next day. The truth is different. I arrived back with no intention of leaving employment. In fact I planned to redouble my efforts in my current role. But the Universe had a different idea.
Two days after arriving back, the startup went up in flames. A key round of funding fell through, leading to us shutting down half the company. I was running growth at the time, and whilst I kept my job my prospects evaporated over night.
On top of this, a friend had recently told me about the international cabin startup scene and suggested a similar thing might work in the UK. I initially laughed him off. But, with a clearer head from the retreat and out of alternatives from the startup, I entertained the idea. A fortuitously timed drink with Ben, and a few hours googling digital detoxes on a Friday night, and I plucked up the courage. The following Monday I handed in my notice, crossing the rubicon.
Burn the Boats
Once out of employment there was little choice but to figure it out. Over the next year we launched a cabin, solved our solar issues, developed a land and planning strategy, and made a plan to scale. Throughout all this there was a sense of being just two guys and a cabin- it didn’t quite feel legit. Now, the situation is different. This funding is not only validation that we’re doing something right but it’s also a casting of the die. We’ve made our bets. We’re committed. Off we go.
Raising money is a double edged sword, but one benefit is the accountability. When you’re two people, with ill-defined goals, it’s easy to get distracted; Ben and I spent November last year toying with a subscription box idea. Thankfully we can to our senses before launching!
Funding makes it clear. It’s a way of burning the boats: by raising money the only acceptable way out is through a successful result, every other eventuality is to be avoided like the plague. As with any startup, it’s now all down to execution. Burning the boats might look reckless to a cautious observer, but it focuses the mind like nothing else. PG said it best:
That’s the risk now- failing to execute. Caesar won because he was decisive. He moved fast, and he wasn’t afraid to make mistakes. Caution carries a cost. We shall make plenty of mistakes in the coming months- I can promise you that. But we might just pick up some wins along the way. If we’re decisive about it, then it could be the difference between two guys and a cabin, and something more remarkable.
My Week in Books📚
“Working Backwards” by Colin Bryar and Bill Carr
Insights from Amazon. Say what you want about them, but they know how to get it done. They’ve built a frighteningly efficient system whilst keeping it simple. Obsession with customers, long term thinking- you’ve heard it all before. However, this book reveals the processes that have come of this single-mindedness, and it’s quite something. Well worth a read.
I’ll be updating the books I’ve read this year here. Any recommendations? Let me know!
A Final Thought 💡
“When there is no turning back, then we should concern ourselves only with the best way of going forward.”
- Paulo Coelho
Congratulations 🥳