I bet most of you have seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens by now.
The latest installment of the Star Wars franchise brought with it an all-new cast, alongside some classic ones we know and love, but perhaps the highlight of the movie was the new villain, Kylo Ren, also known as Ben Solo – the son of Han Solo and Princess Leia.
It’s been almost a year, so no spoilers here.
What I noticed, though, is that Kylo Ren has a lot in common with a modern startup.
From his struggles in trying to gain recognition, and then becoming the next fearsome dark lord of the galaxy…he’s a success story (kinda) synonymous with those we’ve covered on Vulcan Post.
Not convinced? Here are some things that a startup and Kylo Ren have in common.
1. Like Kylo Ren, You Have The Backing Of An Empire
You have the backing of an empire, or in this case, a corporation or prominent venture capitalist that you have raised funding from.
With the millions now being directed into your operations, and gaining access to the best facilities, you can now begin your plans to blow up some planets solve some #firstworldproblems with your innovative new product or service.
2. You Have An Army Under You
Okay, maybe not an entire army, but a band of like-minded individuals who believe in your vision and cause. You have your own Captain Phasma as your second in command, and a lean group troopers ready to dive into your next big idea.
Just make sure they don’t miss deadlines like how Stormtroopers miss their targets.
3. You Build Your Own Weapons
Kylo Ren built his own lightsaber.
You’ve built your own app, website, products, and basically everything else in your startup. This is especially true if you are the solo founder, and are most likely to not secede control of the entire operation until you think the time is right to bring on board a partner.
4. You Are Always Angry At The World
While your initial idea might sound good at first, letting it loose in the real world might not bring about the results you first intended.
You may throw a fit for a while, but you will need to pick yourself up and troubleshoot the issues before embarking on a second, third, and fourth, as you attempt to set your startup straight.
5. You Get What You Want
Whenever you pitch your idea and startup to investors and clients, it’s as if you are using the force to manipulate their minds and have things to go your way.
Your version of the Jedi Mind Trick has closed deal after deal with partners and clients, while bringing in investors who trust in your vision without queries.
6. You Are Mentored By A Supreme Leader
As part of your incubator or accelerator program, you get to meet many successful business people, including those whose startups have achieved the unicorn status.
This person is your direct source of knowledge and guidance, and is someone who has taught you how to wield (the dark side of) the force to the best of your potential.
7. But In Reality, You Want To Emulate Someone Else
Because let’s face it, the mentor that you are currently leaning on at this point of time from is merely a stepping stone to your end goal.
As with any great Sith Lord, you will outgrow your master and have the yearning for something greater, and you will not be content unless you become the next Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, or Jeff Bezos.
While we will not be seeing Kylo Ren until the next installment of the main Star Wars franchise, I am excited to at least have Rogue One to look forward to.
In the meantime to all startups; May The Force Be With You.
