“If you start me up…If you start me up I’ll never stop”
The opening line of one of Rolling Stones’ most iconic songs (Start Me Up) is bound to crank up the passion level in most start-up founders.
But, before I try and join the dots to unravel a blueprint…I am going to begin with a disclaimer: I am a massive fan of the ‘geriatric’ band and may go overboard to present a pattern where none exists. Do forgive the fan boy…
I remember delaying my joining date of my first job, just to catch the live performance of Rolling Stones in Bombay. Another distinct memory was a ‘slumdog’ moment in the tie-break of a college quiz. I still remember the question vividly – “Microsoft licensed which rock classic to launch Windows 95?” Start Me Up, ofcourse!
A couple of weeks back, Rolling Stones released their spanking new album – Blues and Lonesome. The first CD I ever bought was Sticky Fingers by Stones from the vintage music store ‘Rhythm House’ in Bombay. Today neither CD as a format exists nor the iconic music store. But, Stones continues to make an impact and their 25th studio album debuted at No. 1 in the UK. While listening to it on loop…the idea for this post was triggered in my head.
Here is a blueprint (with a strong Stones connection) that all founders should internalize if they want to significantly improve their odds of making an impact…
- Longevity: From the 70s to when they are 70, the Rolling Stones have continued to be at the top of their game. They continue to rule the charts and hearts for over five-decades. Always back an idea that will outlive the creator!
- Magic happens together: Rolling Stones is one of the few bands that have never split. This is quite an achievement considering their popular peers like Beatles, Dire Straits, Led Zeppelin, etc couldn’t sustain the magic together. The Stones are as diverse as any founding team: Mick Jagger the alpha-male; Keith Richards the rebel and Charlie Watts the silent doer and they did have their share of internal issues. No founding team is perfect. They just need to share an inspiring common vision and stick together against all odds. That is the only formula…
- No idea is final: An interesting trivia around the song ‘Start Me Up’ – it was conceptualized as a reggae influenced rock song for the 1968 album ‘Some Girls’. Eventually the band members shelved the track. A few years later they revisited their ‘vault’ and reworked the song. The rest is history. Ditto for your product idea. Ideas need to be fluid and one must continuously keep revisiting the ‘vault’!
Unknowingly, the Rolling Stones can serve as strong influencers to the entire startup community. Personally, the ‘Start Me Up’ blueprint acts as a strong ‘North Star’ in my entrepreneurial journey. Follow your dreams, fuel your passion, brave the odds and play to win but never forget “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”…Ah! Another Rolling Stones classic…but more of that later!
Sorbojeet Chatterjee is an entrepreneur, life coach and a marketing consultant. He is the CEO & Co-Founder of Happ Coach (an online marketplace for coaches and mentors focusing on workplace challenges). He tweets @sorbojeet