The tale of Christmas fear

"We were talking, passing strangers. Moments caught across an empty room." - Passing Strangers - Ultravox

Things speed up towards Christmas don't you think? It all feels like a huge juggernaut that is rocketing down the tracks of life to an inevitable destination. It's good and it's fun and like me I am sure many of you can do with the break but in startup land that means contacts will go silent, connections will diminish and engagement may slow. Conversations with customers can seem like a fond memory at this time of year as they are distracted by colleagues, end of year plans and, quite rightly, family commitments. It's not you my fellow founders, it's just how the world is. It will come back halfway through January as everyone catches up with themselves and the work they left sitting in early December.

Sometimes it's more important to do nothing than keep on doing....well, anything else.

I have realised that I need to keep busy. My brain needs to be working on something tangible or I lose hope. We know already as founders that we oscillate wildly between despair and jubilation. This, for some of us, can be a daily switch. For some of us an hourly one. That's normal. Without a focus though I often fall into the despair category as I feel like I am not making progress and as such Christmas can seem daunting. Not the family bit. I look forward to spending quality time with my loving and supportive wife, my two awesome boys and the craziest dogs I have ever known. I have a Christmas Eve appointment with Muppets Christmas Carol I mean to keep and nothing will stop me climbing on the sofa with my Hot Chocolate (and Marshmallows) and getting some solid Muppet hilarity.

No it's the quiet times, the solo times, the lack of "business" stuff that scares me. When it's dark at night and I think about what I am achieving and I have nothing for that day. That's the fear.

So let's make hay while the sun shines. Let's look at those new projects, let's explored what improvements we can make, let's revisit our marketing and sales material. Let's use the time productively in preparation of the great return next year and be ready for it.

So, I had planned over the festive period to start building the foundations of the next part of Foundry Fuel. I have an idea to build in lots of supporting tools for founders and technologists. However, I also had a great conversation with some experts in the field recently and I decided not to rush into the next stage. Why? Well because I don't know if it's best for the business and therefor I may not want to do it. Sometimes it's more important to do nothing than keep on doing....well, anything else. Work is not alway productivity. But the fear, the silence, the quiet is fast approaching.

Oscillate wildly between despair and jubilation

So what am I doing I hear you ask? Well I have another idea. Yeah my loving wife sighed as well. This one is different though and more in my sweet spot. Foundry Fuel is still growing and as any good community does it will grow slowly and steadily but I need to keep doing things in the meantime and not force it down a path. I will reveal all about this new idea in New Year but for now I have tested the tech and I am focussed on a Prototype version for January. Once I have that I will be able to start moving quickly and ramp up the offering.

I am excited and the quiet moments hold no fear for me now.

So my advice my fellow founders is this. During these quiet times, do what makes you happy. While the customers are away, while the deals are stalled and the world is at sleep, do what you need to do, what ticks that box in your head, what you need to do to get by. Be kind to yourself and go easy.

We've got this.
Gareth