My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
“can you describe this person as an animal”
What It Means
A shorthand test for entrepreneurial intensity, tenacity, and ability to overcome obstacles through sheer determination
Why It Matters
Predicts startup success better than analytical metrics because execution quality matters more than market conditions
When It's True
When evaluating early-stage entrepreneurs where market uncertainty is high and execution is everything
When It's Risky
In later-stage companies where systems matter more than founder hustle, or in regulated industries where compliance trumps speed
How to Apply
Observe how quickly founders move and make decisions
Note their intensity and focus during conversations
Ask about obstacles they've overcome
Check if they know their key metrics cold
See how they handle setbacks and pivots
Example Scenario
“Two founders pitch similar ideas. One has polished slides but vague customer knowledge. Other has rough presentation but detailed user feedback and has already iterated three times this month. The second passes the animal test.”
Related Knowledge
Fix-It Theory
A customer service framework where fixing mistakes creates higher customer loyalty than perfect service from the start.
Paul Graham's Animal Test
An entrepreneur evaluation framework that asks: 'Can you describe this person as an animal?
Hold Me Back Guy Strategy
A face-saving mechanism where someone makes aggressive threats while ensuring they have an excuse not to follow through, maintaining reputation without actual risk.
Write investor updates that build trust and get help
Investors understand your business health, offer help proactively, and maintain confidence in your team even during tough times.
Build exceptional SaaS product through customer obsession
Customers become advocates, feature requests get implemented quickly, and users can't imagine using anything else.
Industry Expert Blindness
Industry experts often miss breakthrough opportunities because their deep knowledge creates limiting assumptions about what's possible.