DJC Insights
The Art of Saying No (Even to Good Opportunities)
The Buffet Paradox
In Malaysia and Singapore, we live in a culture of abundance and connection. If you are doing even reasonably well as a founder, your WhatsApp will start blowing up.
"Eh Dave, let's yamcha. I have a business prop for you." "Can we partner on this government tender?" "You should add this blockchain feature to your AI."
The opportunities come fast. And at first, it feels great. It feels like validation. You want to say "Yes" to everything because you are afraid of missing out (FOMO is real).
But here is the hard truth I learned: More startups die from indigestion than starvation.
They die because they try to do too many things, and they do none of them well.
Strategy is What You Don't Do
Steve Jobs famously said, "Focusing is about saying no." But he didn't mean saying no to bad ideas. That's easy. Anyone can say no to a terrible idea.
Real focus is saying no to GOOD ideas.
It’s saying no to a partnership that could bring in RM 100k revenue because it distracts your engineering team from the core product that will bring in RM 10 million in three years.
As Dave Chong, I have had to turn down lucrative consulting gigs, exciting joint ventures, and flashy speaking opportunities. Not because they were bad, but because they were distractions.
The "Hell Yeah or No" Filter
Derek Sivers has a famous mental model: "If it's not a 'HELL YEAH!', it's a no."
I apply this rigorously at DJC.
When someone approaches us with an opportunity, I ask:
- Does this accelerate our primary goal? (If our goal is recurring revenue, does this project build that?)
- Does this scale? (Or will it require me to hire 5 more people just to manage this one client?)
- Am I excited to do this on a Saturday morning?
If the answer is a hesitant "maybe...", then it is a hard NO.
How to Say No Without Burning Bridges
In Asian business culture, saying "no" can feel rude. We value "face." We don't want to offend.
Here is how I do it politely but firmly:
- The "Not Now" No: "This is a fantastic idea, but right now my team is 100% focused on shipping Version 2.0. I can't distract them. Let's revisit in Q3?"
- The "Out of Scope" No: "We are really trying to be the best in the world at X. If we take on Y, we'll be mediocre at both. I'd rather refer you to someone who specializes in Y."
- The "Personal Rule" No: "I have a personal rule that I don't do angel investing/advising/speaking on weekdays. I need to protect my focus time."
People respect focus. In fact, when you say no, your value often goes up in their eyes. You signal that you are serious and that your time is scarce.
The Cost of "Yes"
Every time you say "yes" to a coffee meeting, you are saying "no" to an hour of product strategy. Every time you say "yes" to a custom feature for one client, you are saying "no" to the stability of your platform for 1,000 clients.
You have limited chips. Place them on the bets that matter.
Be ruthless with your time. It is the only asset you cannot buy more of.
Dave Chong DJC AI Sdn Bhd