In the building world, a foundation is known as the element of an architectural structure that connects it to the ground and transfers the weight of the structure to the ground. The type of foundation you have will dictate the kind of structure you can build.
Your foundations can be shallow or deep. Teams of architects, structural engineers and building experts spend days/weeks/months/years working out what is necessary depending on what is being built.
Your business is similar to an architectural structure, the foundations you need will be dependant on the kind of business you want to build.
In some cases, you may need to revisit/review and reconstruct them as your business grows and evolves larger than your initial vision.
Let’s take Facebook as an example which started out in February 2004 as the pipe dream of a group of college roommates.
Who could have imagined that 14 years later it would have over 2 billion monthly active users, it would be translated into more than 70 languages, and that people would spend an average of 35 mins per day on the platform.*
They’ve had to revisit and revise their foundations on a number of occasions now more than ever with new conversations about data privacy and legislation coming into place.
Solid foundations are the essential to success, (look at the Leaning Tower of Pisa) as is the ability to adapt to change quickly.
In my opinion, it’s less about expecting the unexpected and more about how you respond to the circumstances you find yourself in. The true test of a leader is how they react in the challenging times, anyone can be fun in the good times!
*https://sproutsocial.com/insights/facebook-stats-for-marketers/