Running a startup can sometimes feel like you’re the last person on earth, fighting off countless challenges while trying to survive. If you’re a fan of the movie I Am Legend, you’ll know exactly what we mean. There are a lot of startup survival lessons we can learn from I Am Legend. The journey can be isolating, demanding, and relentless, yet full of hope for the future.
In I Am Legend, Will Smith’s character faces an overwhelming and seemingly impossible challenge. His journey of survival in a post-apocalyptic world mirrors the struggles entrepreneurs face when running a startup. The startup landscape can feel like a battle for survival, where only the most resilient survive. This blog post will break down the startup survival lessons that align with the movie’s key themes and how you can thrive in such a harsh environment.
Adaptability is Everything
In I Am Legend, survival hinges on adaptability. Whether it’s finding food and supplies or defending against terrifying, sometimes stereotype breaking smart, fast and/or ridiculously strong zombies, the protagonist must constantly evolve.
For entrepreneurs, startup survival lessons include being flexible with business models. If your original idea doesn’t work, you must pivot to something that does. Just look at how many businesses failed or succeeded during Covid. Crossfit gyms moved to Zoom classes and allowed their members to pick up equipment for home-use, bars shifted to delivering alcohol via Uber-eats (what kind of dystopia was that?), while many smaller businesses ended up like Will Smith’s dog in I Am Legend, they fought well despite the roughest conditions, but were ultimately taken out by flesh-eating zombies, I mean a non-flesh eating flu-like disease. Markets and customer needs change quickly, so adapting to those shifts is crucial for long-term success.
Isolation and Independence
Will Smith’s character operates largely alone, accompanied by his trusty aforementioned non-verbal canine sidekick and occasional well-dressed and attractive mannequins, trusting only himself to keep things running.
Entrepreneurs, especially in the early stages, often feel isolated. Such is the plight of a solopreneur or a smaller startup. Startup survival lessons here focus on the importance of self-reliance, but they also emphasize the need to build strong networks.
Even when working alone, a founder must know when to reach out for support, whether through partnerships or advisors. Surround yourself with a network that can help you in tough times. Just look at the successful startups; ones that built a superstar team of advisors/team members usually end up thriving. Just take a look at OpenAI’s team and advisors:
- Elon Musk (Co-founder and early financial supporter – although no longer with OpenAI)
- Sam Altman (Co-founder and CEO)
- Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn co-founder and venture capitalist/advisor)
- Peter Thiel (Co-founder of PayPal and early backer)
- Ilya Sutskever (Co-founder and Chief Scientist)
- Greg Brockman (Co-founder and CTO, previously CTO of Stripe)
- Microsoft (Key partner and investor)
Resilience Through Uncertainty
Facing numerous setbacks and losses, I Am Legend illustrates the importance of resilience. Sometimes mean Hollywood writers kill off the cutest furry character, while other times zombies miraculously adapt into trap-setting, mannequin-moving, intelligent beings.
Entrepreneurs will undoubtedly experience hopefully not-so similar failures, but success lies in pushing through adversity. Startup survival lessons emphasize resilience—it’s not about avoiding failures but learning and recovering from them. Prepare yourself to iterate, learn from mistakes, and adjust to survive in the ever-changing business landscape.
Long-Term Planning for Survival
In the movie, long-term thinking is key. Smith’s character doesn’t just focus on immediate survival; he’s working on finding a cure to a disease and saving humanity from apocalyptic threats. As if Will Smith hadn’t already done enough for the world, staving off aliens in Men in Black, battling rogue robots in I, Robot, coaching the two greatest women’s tennis players of all time in King Richard, or coaching desperate men how to pick up women in Hitch.
In entrepreneurship, long-term vision is equally essential. Planning for the future, setting long-term goals, and executing them in manageable steps are crucial startup survival lessons. Don’t just think about short-term wins—focus on strategies that ensure your business lasts. It’s often easy to get lost on the near-term goals, but venture capitalists, investors, and advisors value a team with a long-term plan and ability to execute that plan. Don’t get caught up running away from blood-thirsty zombies (all the time).
The Will to Keep Going
Above all, I Am Legend is a story about determination. Robert Neville didn’t give up after all the failed experiments. He continued to iterate and push forward despite many setbacks.
The startup journey is often filled with roadblocks and challenges that test your will to keep moving forward. Entrepreneurs need that same drive to survive. This is one of the most critical startup survival lessons, as it takes mental strength and perseverance to succeed.
Robert Neville eventually found a couple new members to join his team, and ultimately they were the ones that brought the cure to another group of survivors. If he had given up, the cure might have been lost and the world would have been doomed. Although we are all curious how the story will be changed in the sequel, since supposedly Robert Neville somehow survives his suicide grenade?
Helpful Resources
Here are some great online resources for entrepreneurs:
- Startups.com: Comprehensive guides and tools for new entrepreneurs.
- Small Business Administration: Resources for business formation and growth
Final Thoughts
I Am Legend might be a film about survival in a dystopian future, but it offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs. Startup survival lessons teach us the importance of adaptability, resilience, and long-term planning. Just like in the movie, only those who prepare, persevere, and adapt will make it through the toughest challenges. Don’t give up because of a few setbacks. Who knows, someday you might end up saving the world.