Why Timing Matters More Than You Think

Timing is really important. Being too early is just as bad as being late.

Sometimes I had ideas and tried things, but the market just wasn't ready. And sometimes it's a technology problem—the tech isn't there yet. When timing isn't right, it's incredibly hard to make a startup work.

It's not a coincidence that Madonna and Michael Jackson became similar types of superstars in the same era. Or that Steve Jobs and Bill Gates became tech moguls who started around the same time. In both cases, it was when talent and timing came together perfectly.

In the first example, there was a new way of reaching large audiences through music videos and MTV. This was perfect for the iconic personas and styles of both Madonna and MJ—the right market, the right audience, the right technology.

For Jobs and Gates, it was early but not too early. The foundations for the personal computer existed, and there was a consumer-driven audience ready for it.

When talent finds a ready audience, and the market, technology, and zeitgeist support it, a startup can scale rapidly.