Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. It’s a path defined by ambiguity, unpredictability, and constant change. Whether it’s launching a new product, pivoting your strategy, or choosing your first hire—founders are constantly faced with decisions where the stakes are high and the data is incomplete.
In startups, there are no perfect answers—only bets. But the most successful founders are not those who avoid risk. They are those who choose boldly despite it.
The myth of the «right» decision
Many new founders fall into the trap of waiting—waiting for more data, for the perfect moment, or for complete certainty. But in the real world of entrepreneurship, that moment rarely comes.
Indecision is more dangerous than a wrong call. Why? Because it leads to stagnation, missed opportunities, and team confusion. As Jeff Bezos once said, “Most decisions should be made with about 70% of the information you wish you had. If you wait for 90%, in most cases, you’re probably being slow.”
What sets great decision-makers apart?
It’s not perfect foresight—it’s a mindset. Great entrepreneurs aren’t fearless. They’re just decisive, even when the path ahead is unclear.
1. They seek input—but don’t get paralyzed by it.
Strong founders are curious. They gather diverse perspectives. They listen with openness. But they also know when enough is enough—when it’s time to move from discussion to decision.
Pro tip: Use the «disagree and commit» principle—encourage healthy debate, but once a decision is made, align fully and move forward together.
2. They use frameworks to bring structure to chaos.
When the environment is messy, structure helps. Smart founders lean on decision-making tools such as:
- First-principles thinking: Break a problem down to its fundamental truths, then reason up from there.
- Cost-benefit analysis: What’s the potential upside vs. downside?
- Reversibility lens: Is this a one-way door or a two-way door? If reversible, act faster.
Frameworks won’t guarantee the “right” answer—but they reduce emotional noise and clarify trade-offs.
3. They expect mistakes—and design for learning.
No startup journey is error-free. The best founders don’t avoid mistakes—they build systems that learn from them.
They:
- Make decisions in iterations rather than all-or-nothing bets.
- Create feedback loops (e.g., small test launches, early user interviews).
- Reflect regularly on outcomes and assumptions.
This builds what psychologists call decision hygiene—clean, repeatable thinking in messy environments.
4. They ground decisions in values, not just metrics.
Data matters. But when the path is unclear, your values are the compass.
Should you take the shortcut or build it right? Hire for skills or culture? Launch quickly or wait until it’s ethical and inclusive?
Founders who lead with integrity and mission-based clarity tend to build more enduring, trusted companies. In a crisis, values are what guide the hard calls.
“In the absence of certainty, move with clarity.”
– Unknown, but deeply true
Action breeds clarity more often than clarity breeds action
It’s easy to think that you need full clarity before acting. But in startups, clarity often comes after the first step, not before it.
- You don’t know if a product feature works—until you launch it.
- You don’t know how a hire fits—until they’re part of the team.
- You don’t know if a market responds—until you ship and sell.
Courageous founders make informed moves—and then adjust. They bias toward action, because momentum fuels insight.
Questions founders should ask themselves
- What’s the worst-case scenario if I make this decision? Can I live with it?
- Is this decision aligned with our mission and values?
- If this decision is wrong, what can I learn quickly?
- What would I decide if I trusted myself 100%?
These reflective prompts ground you when the fog rolls in.
Leadership is a series of imperfect decisions
Great leadership isn’t about making perfect choices. It’s about making decisions well, owning them, and learning forward. Especially under uncertainty.
So if you’re facing a fork in the road—don’t wait forever for the «right» sign. Step forward with curiosity, clarity, and courage.
Because in the end, it’s not about knowing everything.
It’s about being bold enough to choose anyway.
Looking to build a stronger decision-making culture in your team? I’d be happy to share practical tools and frameworks tailored for founders.
DREIESKIVA|Roald Kvam 
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