Night at the Improv

Among the many impressive BootCamp participants was Rob Dahm of Emerciv. As a twenty-something founder with six years of entrepreneurial experience, Dahm paid thoughtful attention to his local clients at Computer Works—and saw the opportunity that became Emerciv. Like a jazz musician, he felt the beat of the music and improvised in a general direction—the community portal—while the specific notes arranged themselves around the event ticketing tool.

The ability to improvise—to adapt to the needs and opportunities of the current environment—is a critical success factor for entrepreneurs. Or maybe it’s a way of life. Or possibly an obsession.

Regardless, it comes with a dark side: becoming distracted from a well-crafted plan. Perceptron improvised its way into years of sagging stock price when it tried to diversify into lumber products. Ironically, the vision company lost focus and only began to recover when it removed the splinter from its eye.

Companies that improvise successfully, like the musicians you never tire of hearing, start with a deep knowledge of their base domains. The lesson for the entrepreneur is to approach with caution—what appears to be an improvisation could be a dangerous distraction. Hence the importance of the plan, and of reviewing it regularly in light of new information.