Essays/linkedin/23-12-22 my unfair advantage

🏇🏻 When I started my first entrepreneurial project I had an unfair advantage. I didn't realize I had one, and that's why I think it's so important to identify it early in your journey.

In my case, because of the context in which I did my PhD, I became good at building instruments. I got the chance to playing with some Arduino's as well as high-end electronics. I was forced into the path of developing software to control hardware.

My unfair advantage was the time I had to train myself, and the network of people around me.

During a PhD, every candidate is trained in different topics, that's already an unfair advantage. We often fail at understanding it as such. We are surrounded by people who look smarter, more capable. The value of our trainings becomes visible once we step out of our comfort zone.

Once I stepped out of my comfort zone, I realized my skills were marketable. Things that were a commodity in my environment, were not obvious in other fields. In turn, it allowed me to keep learning about different challenges and solutions.

Our life experiences, whatever they may be, are always our largest unfair advantage.

The things we have been exposed to allow us to see opportunities others can't see.

Aspiring entrepreneurs should take a moment to assess their unique assets, and bouncing ideas with others is the best approach. There will be things you can do which are not trivial for others, and the opposite.

Focusing on your "unfair" advantage is a great way of understanding what you can achieve, and who else you need to bring onboard to succeed.