How do miracles happen?
A fledgling startup learns the secret of miracles from their angel investor
Sukhbir was an angel investor in a fledgling startup which had just turned 3 years in the marketplace. Running out of Indore - India, it was a small setup of 50 people spread across marketing, sales, operations and accounting roles – most teammates playing multiple roles.
Lately however, one of their products in the SaaS space was facing consumer negativity. There were quality issues coming up in some modules and soon it began trending on social media. Soon, mainstream media got wind of it and there was heavy pressure from reporters. The Senior Leaders put up a brave front on news bytes but the pressure slowly seeped into the daily meetings. The anxiety seemed to paralyze the operational activities as arguments flared up between sales, marketing and operations teams.
A worried Sukhbir began to meet the senior leaders weekly. He sensed panic descending into chaos as time passed by. The teams seemed to know what could be done but were constrained by the lack of alignment within themselves. As days passed, the panic slowly translated into helplessness and the lack of action was causing further backlash on social media.
It was almost as if the startup was expecting someone to step in, weave magic and take this all away.
The angel investor - Sukhbir pondered for a little while. He did not want to jump into giving a solution nor did he want to signal aloofness. He had to balance wisdom with actionable guidance.
In one of the all-employee connects, he turned to narrating a story about miracles from Native American folklore.
“When I was in the States running my second venture, I faced a similar situation where there was consumer backlash, chaos within the team and confusion as to what to do next. We were at the edge of giving up and hoped a miracle would save us. Around that time, I heard this story, and it inspired our teams to find a solution.
Let me play it back for you and see how it goes.”
‘On one of the Hawaiian islands, there was a big forest with myriad flora and fauna. All kinds of living organisms called it a home.
One day, during summer, there was a big fire in the forest. All the animals fled in terror in all directions, because it was a very violent fire. The lions, elephants, monkeys, birds, insects – the whole lot of them scurried away in panic.
As fire spread, the animals were pushed towards the edge of the island and there lay a rocky beach with rising sea waves. The animals cowered in fear as they were caught between the raging fire and the devouring sea.
Suddenly, the jaguar saw a hummingbird pass over his head, but into the direction of the fire. Moments later, the jaguar saw her pass again, this time in the same direction as the animals were fleeing.
He could observe this coming and going until he decided to ask the bird about it because it seemed very bizarre behavior.
"What are you doing, hummingbird?" he asked.
"I am going to the sea," she answered. “I drink water with my beak and throw it on the fire to extinguish it."
The jaguar laughed. “Are you crazy? Do you really think that you can put out that big fire on your own with your very small beak?”
“No!”, said the hummingbird.
“I know I can't. But the forest is my home. It feeds me, it shelters me and my family. I am very grateful for that. And I help the forest grow by pollinating its flowers. I am part of her and the forest is part of me.
I know I can't put out the fire, but I must do my part.”
At that moment, the forest spirits, who listened to the hummingbird, were moved by the birdie and its devotion to the forest.
And miraculously they sent a torrential downpour, which put an end to the great fire.’
Sukhbir paused and looked around the room. The story was sinking in – for some - slightly, for some - deep within.
He concluded the story by saying – “The grandmothers would occasionally tell this story to their grandchildren, then end it with, ‘Do you want to attract miracles into your life? Do your part.’ "
The final message rang like a bell in everyone’s ears as they smiled and felt a new sense of commitment dawning on themselves.
Sukhbir had played the role of angel investor perfectly well that day. Like a doting grandmother, he had nudged the teams to take the right action while not waiting for a superhero to come and save them. He had inspired them to see the path themselves without really holding their hands to walk the path.
Within weeks, the teams aligned, and the sales turned a corner. From there on, the momentum gradually shifted, and the startup recovered lost ground in the market.