A Founder's Reflections - Decisions in the Fast Lane

Almost a year ago, I shared reflections from my first seven months as a startup founder. In that post, I wrote about the surprises, challenges, and lessons learned transitioning from consulting to co-founding a SaaS company. Now, 18 months in, I want to do the same.

For starters, the past year has been nothing short of a masterclass in business—far surpassing the lessons from my MBA or 20+ years in consulting. At the center of it all is decision-making.

In a startup, decisions are constant, relentless, and unforgiving. Deadlines loom, competitors move fast, and customer preferences and markets shift in real-time. The pressure to decide quickly isn’t theoretical—it’s tangible and unrelenting. Every day, we face moments where the instinct to prioritize speed over quality feels like the only option. But is it?

Over these 18 months, we’ve made decisions that propelled us forward and others that forced us to backtrack. Navigating the fine line between speed and quality has been one of the most valuable—and ongoing—lessons of this journey.

When Speed Matters Most

Not all decisions carry equal weight. Sometimes, speed isn’t just beneficial—it’s critical. Here’s where moving quickly has made the difference for us.

1. Crisis Situations

A few months ago, we supported a client’s two-day event, where our platform was the backbone for driving engagement in an otherwise talking-head-heavy agenda. Halfway through Day 1, things took a turn: participants started encountering the dreaded white screen of death every time a new activity was pushed. Despite having engineering on standby, there was no guarantee we could resolve the issue before Day 2—when the platform was set to play an even bigger role.

Waiting wasn’t an option, so we pivoted. Working through the night, we transformed the experience into a paper-based solution. It wasn’t sleek, but it worked. Day 2 went off without a hitch, salvaging the event and rebuilding the client’s confidence.

The takeaway? In a crisis, action beats perfection. Quick, decisive problem-solving isn’t just about salvaging the moment—it’s a chance to showcase adaptability, reinforce trust, and prove you’re dependable when it matters most.

2. Competitive Pressures

One Friday, a prospect approached us with a challenge: they needed a better way to evaluate ERP systems. Their current Excel-based process was tedious, requiring hours of post-meeting synthesis to make decisions. Frustrated, they needed a solution—and fast.

With just 48 hours to deliver, we presented a working prototype by Monday. It wasn’t perfect and required some refinement, but it reduced the time to decision by 75%. More importantly, it proved our ability to adapt quickly to their needs.

The competition wasn’t another company; it was the status quo. By acting quickly, even with imperfections, you can win. The prospect became one of our first customers and recently renewed for another year.

3. Low-Stakes Decisions

In our early days, we spent hours debating trivial operational choices, like which productivity tools to use. This decision, like many we’ve made, is simply a preference debate that we let drag on for too long. One of my co-founders eventually stepped in, made the call, and allowed us to move forward.

The takeaway? Getting bogged down in minor decisions can stall momentum. Recognizing when a debate is more about preferences than substance helps prioritize action over deliberation. For low-stakes issues, making a timely decision—even if it's not perfect—is often better than wasting valuable time seeking the ideal solution.

The Costs of Prioritizing Speed

But speed has a price. Reflecting on missteps, I’ve seen how rushing can lead to costly consequences.

1. Rework and Additional Costs

When we found a “Holiday Special” for a compliance automation platform, it seemed like a perfect fit. It promised to fast-track our SOC2 compliance, and the price was unbeatable. The catch? We had to decide immediately.

What should have simplified our compliance journey turned into a nightmare. The platform was so complex we had to hire a consultant just to make sense of it. Costs piled up—consulting fees, time lost, and frustration with a tool that didn’t meet our needs. Eighteen months, a platform switch, and several setbacks later, the finish line is finally within reach.

This taught me that what feels like a quick win can spiral into a long-term loss. Proper evaluation upfront often saves far more time—and money—later.

2. Eroding Trust

Earlier this year, before a client session, the senior stakeholder asked if we had tested our platform under conditions similar to their event. Confident, we assured them everything would work seamlessly, as it always has. The day before, a small-scale test on-site showed no issues, and we thought we were in the clear.

But when the session went live, the platform misfired repeatedly. Each time, we reassured the client we’d resolved the issue, only for it to fail again. What began as trust in our team eroded into frustration and disappointment.

Trust is fragile—easy to lose and difficult to rebuild. In moments of pressure, transparency about risks and limitations is essential.

3. Strategic Misalignment

Early on, we brought on an advisor who seemed like the perfect fit. Highly credentialed and well-versed in our space, they seemed ideal. But there was one critical gap—they had never taken a startup from Zero to One.

Their advice, while excellent, was for a $100M company, not a scrappy early-stage startup. This misalignment left us focusing on challenges we weren’t ready to tackle, costing time and energy we couldn’t spare. The lesson? A great fit on paper doesn’t always translate to a great fit in practice.

Balancing Speed and Quality

So, how do you strike the balance? Here’s what’s helped us navigate the tension:

1. Categorize Decisions: High-stakes, low-stakes, and crisis-driven decisions require different levels of attention.
2. Lean on Experience: Familiar situations often have predictable patterns—use them to act confidently and minimize risk.
3. Invest in Preparation: Preparation creates the foundation for speed. Pre-reads, clear agendas, and defined objectives enable faster, better decisions.
4. Delegate Strategically: Centralizing every decision can slow progress. Empowering my team to make quick calls in their areas of expertise has helped us maintain momentum without sacrificing quality.
5. Measure Outcomes: Reflect on decisions—both good and bad—and apply those lessons moving forward.

Closing the Loop

In the startup world, balancing speed and quality isn’t about perfection—it’s about intentionality. As I continue this journey, I’m learning to approach decisions with clearer frameworks, guided by the lessons of both success and failure.

Whether it’s a crisis, an opportunity, or a low-stakes call, the next time you face a decision, ask yourself: Does this require perfection, or will “good enough” suffice? Finding that balance can transform decision-making into a powerful strategic advantage.

What lessons have you learned in navigating tough decisions?