Finding Strategy: A Personal Journey from Tech to Strategic Thinking

I want to start by making something clear: I don't have a long career in strategy to write about. No published books, no previous blogs. But I've found the topic of strategy to be something worth talking about, and perhaps there are some valuable insights in my journey for you as well.

From Technical Developer to Strategic Thinker

I come from a technical and startup background. My career began as a software development intern at a research center, working on immersive virtual reality technology that allowed people to experience VR in a shared physical space. I was happily developing innovative solutions and features, focused on solving technical challenges and improving the user experience.

Over time, the project grew and gained attention, eventually securing several million in venture capital funding and establishing an installation in one of the country's largest theme parks. As the team expanded, I found myself leading the technical development team after the startup became independent from the research center.

The Limits of Technical Excellence

I had to learn how to transition from being an individual contributor to enabling others, from focusing on daily tasks to making educated guesses about where the technology landscape might move. From solving small-scale issues to tackling increasingly larger challenges.

Gradually, it became clear that not all problems could be solved through technology alone. Lean development and technical excellence didn't automatically translate to success in a competitive environment. And it dawned on me that the company's issues—such as poor revenues—wouldn't simply resolve themselves.

I became interested in how products actually worked in the market. After reading books like "The Lean Startup," "The Lean Product Playbook," and "Continuous Discovery," I noticed huge gaps between what these concepts taught about product development and what our startup was actually doing. There was a strange disconnect: on one side, a slow, research-project mentality; on the other, creating unrealistic narratives about our product's current and future capabilities. Things weren't adding up—and neither were our profits.

Crisis as a Catalyst

Then COVID hit. As you can imagine, lockdowns were devastating for a company providing location-based attractions where people needed to gather in physical spaces. All employees were placed on reduced hours (subsidized by government programs), and we began to worry as there seemed to be no plan of action to navigate this crisis. We practically begged the founders for direction, but they seemed equally lost.

During this challenging period, my team identified a technological opportunity that could significantly reduce unit costs. We recognized that our existing technology stack was overly complex and expensive. By simplifying our approach and adopting more affordable off-the-shelf components—trading some performance for substantial cost savings—we could create a more economically viable product. The solution wasn't as technically sophisticated as our original system, but it addressed what customers actually needed at a price point they could afford.

Finding a Way Forward

We proposed a system that was less complex, eliminated unnecessary features, and focused on what we believed were the essential elements of the product. We also recognized a timing opportunity: lockdowns wouldn't last forever, and when venues like trampoline parks reopened, they would need to compete aggressively to regain customers.

The founders approved our proposal, and my team returned to work with the mission of proving the system would function. If successful, other departments could gradually resume operations. The system did work—it was more affordable for customers, and we benefited from the trend of locations reopening and seeking new attractions. Sales increased significantly, and the company began growing again.

I believe the company was at its healthiest during this period, positioned to potentially benefit from the emerging interest in the metaverse. However, our competition wasn't standing still. New technological developments were about to level the playing field, threatening our competitive advantage.

Recognizing Strategic Gaps

I felt we were moving too slowly to adapt to this new platform and our actions were too unfocused. This couldn't be solved at the product level alone—it seemed the company as a whole wasn't maneuvering effectively enough to respond to environmental changes. We were somehow trapped in narratives and assumptions that weren't rooted in reality.

That's when I formally encountered the concept of strategy and the various perspectives on the topic. I discovered challenge-based strategy through Richard Rumelt's "Good Strategy Bad Strategy" and "The Crux," as well as Henry Mintzberg's concept of emergent strategy. These frameworks helped me see beyond the standard planning exercises to what effective strategy actually entails.

I had already observed that our balanced scorecards were problematic, that our vision and mission statements were merely office decorations, and that discussions about direction were primarily driven by short-term incentives. The gap between strategic theory and our company's practice was striking.

Taking the Initiative

I took a chance and prepared a brief overview of what strategy is (and isn't) for a preparation meeting ahead of our annual strategy review. The gamble paid off—all that had been prepared for the meeting was a half-completed SWOT analysis. I was subsequently tasked with preparing and facilitating the strategy meeting as a workshop.

This was ambitious, having never facilitated such a workshop before and with only a few days to prepare. But ultimately, it went reasonably well. Facing a shorter runway than expected, with venture capital shifting toward AI investments and increasing competition, the company decided to focus on its core product in our strongest existing market and one emerging geographic market.

It wasn't an innovative strategy or a perfect workshop, but as a first attempt, it successfully highlighted the most critical challenges the company was facing. Eventually, I left the company as I wasn't confident in its ability to turn around, and moved into consulting.

The Common Thread

In my consulting role, I've witnessed similar situations unfolding in many different client projects. Many companies seem to lack necessary insights into their situation and follow a natural trajectory of declining profitability, maintaining portfolios of diffuse initiatives, and exhibiting other hallmarks of slow decline.

I believe everyone has stories about the common situation where companies lack a clear strategy. But what is strategy, really? My next post will directly address this fundamental question.

Key Lessons Learned

Through this journey, I've discovered several principles that have shaped my understanding of effective strategy. Gaining real insight into a company's issues proved essential and often more challenging than it seems, as organizations frequently operate on narratives that don't align with reality. I found that semi-structured approaches to strategy development work better than either rigid frameworks or complete improvisation. A critical skill became identifying false internal narratives—recognizing when a company is telling itself stories that obscure rather than illuminate its actual situation. Along the way, I learned how understanding constraints provides the necessary boundaries within which realistic strategies can develop.

Perhaps most importantly, I've learned that strategy shouldn't only be done when "shit hits the fan." It should be practiced regularly with sufficient foresight. A company needs to constantly observe and adapt, maintaining a realistic view of its position. Strategy isn't something that can be done on the side or based on gut feeling—intuition can be dangerous due to bias and false narratives.

I hope to share more thoughts on these topics in future posts, and perhaps others can find valuable insights here. I welcome feedback and look forward to learning from others' perspectives as we explore the fascinating and vital world of strategic thinking together.

Let me end with one simple question: Are you truly aware of the situation your company is in?