🚀 Growing a Startup? Embrace the Leaky Bucket Mindset 🪣💧

As entrepreneurs, we dream of building the perfect product, seamless operations, and an unforgettable user experience. But let’s face it: startups are Leaky Buckets. 🪣💧

Whether it’s bugs in the app, inefficiencies in production, or struggles with customer engagement, we all have holes to patch. The challenge is to stay committed to progress, not perfection.

🔧 Here’s how I think about handling leaks while growing my company:

1️⃣ Prioritize the biggest leaks. Not all holes lose the same amount of water. Focus on the gaps that have the most significant impact on your ability to learn, adapt, or deliver.

2️⃣ Iterate, don’t hesitate. Perfection is the enemy of progress. Fix what you can, test your fixes, and keep moving. Even a patched-up bucket holds more water than one ignored.

3️⃣ View feedback as fuel, not failure.

Insights from “The Blox” Entrepreneur Competition hit home for us:

In the early days, it’s easy to dismiss an effort as a failure when potential customers don’t convert. But often, it’s not the opportunity that’s broken — it’s your product, design, or messaging.

Here’s the reality:

When we started producing NFC cards, everything was DIY — Cricut machines, laminated stickers, and later an old, unreliable printer that jammed constantly. It wasn’t perfect, but it allowed us to get real feedback and learn what worked.

Similarly, early customer interactions are not just about sales. They’re about understanding what potential users need, where your product might fall short, and what will make them say “yes” in the future.

A “no” isn’t the end — it’s a clue. It’s a chance to refine, iterate, and try again.

We’ve been there — balancing rough prototypes, refining processes, and learning to listen deeply to the gaps our customers reveal. Those “leaky” moments became the foundation for growth and progress.

✨ The mindset shift? Acknowledge the leaks, value every insight, and keep moving forward. Startups aren’t about getting it perfect on Day 1 — they’re about building something better every day.

At Lilrobo company, we’re producing NFC cards, running an e-commerce site, and building an iOS app to program them. None of it started perfect, but those leaky buckets are now holding more water — and more potential.

What’s a “leak” in your bucket that’s helped you learn something valuable?

🤖 🎶