Abandon Success For Better

Shaan Puri shares his experience with his early sushi delivery business, highlighting the importance of being willing to pivot or abandon a business even when it's working, if better opportunities arise.

Key Points:

• Initial Success Doesn't Equal Long-term Commitment

  • Business was profitable from month one ($13 profit)
  • Reached $30,000 in revenue by month two
  • Despite growth, team realized they were in the wrong business

• Recognition of Fundamental Issues:

  • Core product (sushi) was only consumed occasionally by customers
  • Real opportunity was in general food delivery, not specific cuisine
  • Team was young and hadn't committed deeply to any stakeholders

• Decision Making Process:

  • "Maybe the first business idea we ever had in our lives might not be the best one"
  • Recognized they could switch to a different business altogether
  • Avoided the trap of staying consistent with previous commitments

• Key Learning:

  • Most people feel compelled to continue when something's working
  • Making money can create false validation
  • Being young and uncommitted allowed for easier pivoting

• Operational Challenges That Led to Decision:

  • Waking up at 4 AM for fish market
  • Working until 11 PM
  • Doing everything themselves (didn't know to hire people)
  • Physical demands of running a restaurant

• Wisdom in Walking Away:

  • Staying would have been a "terrible decision"
  • Better to recognize wrong path early
  • Success metrics shouldn't override fundamental business alignment