Quick Intro
What’s the problem?
Your to-do list never ends. Neither do your ideas. As a founder who builds products that you deeply care about, you could work infinitely, and still there would be opportunities you would miss out on. That’s part of the game and your data or intuition hopefully helps you to prioritize and focus on what seems most important. However, I’m quite sure you’re still aware of a few opportunities you want to take, but postpone them week by week without taking the initial first step. The idea of taking the first step to get things rolling is far from new. Still, I want to write about it today, to remind you and also myself that sometimes a little action can be the beginning of a business or even a life-changing path to take.
Own background
When did I encounter the situation?
I already decided. I would apply for part-time jobs in marketing after my uni graduation. To learn from experts how to build a brand, which I was trying to do at the time with LIVRIA (a community platform for underground musicians & their fans). While applying for several marketing agencies, a friend of mine told me that one of our colleagues in uni got accepted at Google. I was blown away. Google had accepted someone with the exact same master's degree I'd just earned.
Over the following weeks a thought evolved in my head. Why not try it as well? At least to learn something within the application process which I could apply to my ongoing job search and startup. I wouldn’t move to Dublin (which was a requirement for such a role), I wouldn’t work full-time (as I wanted to fully focus on LIVRIA instead), but why not check out how far in the Google application process I would make it. A little side quest to move out of my comfort zone.
The thought continued to live in my head, but blurred out a bit while I continued to focus on getting a marketing job and to grow LIVRIA.
A few weeks later, I stumbled upon a LinkedIn post from my uni colleague who got accepted by Google: she was promoting a few new roles that just opened in a similar position to hers, and that she would be happy to help with the application if anyone in her network would be interested to give it a shot. Her LinkedIn post worked like a trigger for me. Without thinking too much about it, I reached out to her and asked her about some recommendations on how to apply.
Five interviews and 52 days later, I signed my contract at Google. Throughout the process I was never planning to take the job (or thinking of the option to be accepted for it), had already started another (part-time) job at a company I was very happy to work at, and continued to grow LIVRIA by planning our first music event in Berlin. Still, I decided, together with my girlfriend, to move to Dublin and follow the opportunity. At the end, one random thought combined with a tiny little action (writing the message to my uni colleague) led to a learning and life experience I wouldn’t trade for anything.
Tiny 15-min Steps
How to gain momentum on your opportunities?
My story of joining Google isn’t my only example in which a tiny little step outside of my normal working routine and tasks led to something game-changing and special. Often it was just a cold email or message to someone I was admiring. Or a thought I spoke out to a friend. Getting your idea or potential next step outside of your mind is sometimes the only wisdom you need to start gaining momentum on a particular initiative or side quest.
And I think most of us already know exactly what we would like to start or do, but we're held back by the fear of a huge workload or the fear of failing or of social rejection. The interesting part I noticed is that at the end things will flow either way. After you take the first tiny step that involves other people, you gain momentum. No matter if you realize that it’s actually not what you want to do or if you now feel more motivated than ever, at least you gained clarity.
Always wanted to post about your business on twitter/X? After doing it for the first time you’ll realize if you want to continue or not. Always wanted to reach out to this successful entrepreneur you admire? After you texted her, you’ll see if she responds or not. Always wanted to implement this special product feature? After talking to your customer about it, you will get a feeling if it has potential or not.
The big misconception I think, is that this first tiny step takes a lot of effort. We postpone and postpone it, week after week. But at the end it would have been 15 minutes of execution to get things going and gain clarity about your idea.
Here are some examples of Tiny 15-min Steps:
- The 2-Minute Cold Email - Reach out to that entrepreneur you admire with one genuine question
- The First Social Post - Share one insight about your business journey on LinkedIn or X
- The Customer Check-in - Ask one existing customer about that feature idea you've been considering
- The Event Speaker Message - DM an organizer about speaking at their next event
- The Partnership Ping - Send a brief collaboration idea to a complementary business
- The Mini MVP - Create a small example of that new service you want to offer
I love to follow my structure and strategies. I love to stick to my plans. But I've learned that the most transformative moments come from those 15-minute commitments - when a strong intuition or idea sticks in my head and I decide to give it just one tiny step.
Your endless to-do list will still be there tomorrow. But that opportunity you've been thinking about? It might not be.
What tiny step will you take today?
Your 15-Minute Action Plan
Right now, think of ONE opportunity you've been postponing. Write it down.
Now ask yourself: "What's the smallest possible first step I could take in the next 15 minutes?"
That's your tiny step. Do it today.
Remember: The goal isn't perfection - it's momentum.
Inspiration I used for this article
Books, Podcasts, Articles, Quotes
- Oliver Burkeman in 'Meditations For Mortals' on the importance of remembering that not every impactful step has to be difficult.
Related topics
List of related blog articles from 40 Hour Entrepreneur
Community Space
Your comments, ideas, feedback
- What's a 15-minute action you're committing to today?
- What’s one small task you’ve been postponing that you could do right now?
- What's the best outcome you've ever had from a Tiny Step?
- What holds you back most from taking the first step?
- ...
Join the discussion below. Or write me an email to fabiano@40hourentrepreneur.com