Why “Think Inside the Box “? Why the need for a new book?

Good afternoon everyone. Today I would like to share a personal reflection on a topic that is
important to me and the focus of my upcoming book. Originally, the book was titled “Startup 19”
and aimed to discuss how my wife and I were able to successfully launch a new foundation
called “Entrepreleaders Foundation” during the unprecedented challenges presented by the
COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. Despite widespread business closures and economic turmoil at
that time, we persevered and were even able to secure funding to sponsor the education of
several students in need. These students had lost hope of continuing their studies due to the
pandemic’s impacts, but through our support were able to not only study entrepreneurship but
launch their own small businesses.

When major corporations were struggling just to survive, we focused our efforts on bringing our
vision for Entrepreleaders Foundation to life during the crisis of COVID-19. This is what
inspired the original title “Startup 19” with the “19” representing the challenges of that year. The
goal of the book was to provide guidance and encouragement for other entrepreneurs looking to
start new projects even in difficult circumstances. However, as the pandemic continued and I
reflected more on my message, I realized “Startup 19” did not fully capture the lessons I wanted
to share, as COVID-19 would not be limited only to that year. I therefore decided to rebrand the
title to better empower others.

The new title that emerged was “Think Inside the Box”. I believe this name promotes an
important mindset for any entrepreneur. To provide context, when the pandemic first hit our local
area like most families, we were confined to remaining at home except for essential needs. The
streets were empty as daily reports documented the rising death toll from COVID-19 around the
world. As a naturally entrepreneurial person even with such restrictions, I challenged myself to
consider “What can I do?”. In that moment, my “box” was literally my home. I gained focus by
asking within those constraints “What opportunities exist here?”. It was then my wife and I
recognized how many students, especially from underprivileged schools, were stuck at home
without means for online learning. As their schools closed with no clear path forward, we saw
them losing hope and direction in life.

My wife and I felt compelled to take action to help address this challenge. Prior to the pandemic,
I had already transitioned my own school online which allowed us to continue classes for about
60% of our students. But nearly 40% were lost. It became evident we must do more to support
students without access. And so in those early months of lockdown and uncertainty, we
established Entrepreleaders Foundation through international donations. This funding enabled us
to sponsor students confined to their homes so they could resume their education. Some have
since graduated while others started small businesses of their own even during the pandemic’s
most difficult times.

I have learned that often “less is more” can be true when it comes to focus and innovation.
Growing up we are typically taught that “more is better” – more money, more time, more
resources, more people. But what if we had unlimited amounts of any one thing? Would we truly
be able to accomplish that much more, or would it actually hinder progress through a lack of
focus and false contentment ? When have you typically been most productive, with 3 months to
do an assignment or 3 days? Necessity is what drives focus, and focus is what enables
breakthrough innovation. Having constraints of “less” is what forces prioritization and
concentrated effort that leads to meaningful results. This is a lesson I aim to share in my
upcoming book “Think Inside the Box” – that by working within limitations, we can achieve
more through focused creativity.

There is an ongoing debate around the level of innovation between large corporations and small
startups. While large companies have significantly more resources at their disposal, startups
seem to innovate at a faster pace. This raises the question – with fewer resources, how are small
startups able to outpace larger organizations in innovation?

Upon examination, there are a few factors that contribute to startups’ ability to innovate more
effectively despite resource constraints. To begin with, smaller companies have streamlined
operations with fewer products, initiatives and decisions requiring attention. This allows them to
maintain a laser focus on innovation without distractions. Conversely, larger businesses tend to
have more complex processes spanning multiple divisions and product lines. This breadth of
responsibilities can pull attention away from innovation.
Additionally, the very nature of startups’ size necessitates an emphasis on innovation. As
fledgling organizations working to gain footing, startups’ survival depends on their ability to
introduce new solutions. This existential focus drives non-stop effort towards progress. In
contrast, larger companies with established market share can rely more on maintaining existing
operations to sustain profits.

The constraints of startups’ size prove to be an advantage when it comes to innovation. Limited
options force prioritization and single-minded concentration on advancing ideas. On the other
hand, abundance of resources in large corporations introduces diversions that can inhibit
innovation. Startups’ resourcefulness in achieving breakthroughs with minimal means sets the
stage for potential growth.
In summary, while larger organizations have greater budgets, startups compensate with an
advantage of focus unhindered by organizational complexity. This laser focus on progress despite
constraints is what enables startups to outpace incumbents in innovation. With the right mindset,
limitations can become a source of competitive differentiation.