This piece is aimed at those in their twenties who regularly submit their proposals to me. If we’ve already had a conversation, you’re likely familiar with what I’m about to say.
Each sector possesses its own traditions of display. In commerce, this tradition takes the form of a product launch. We invest effort into revealing the minimal viable product, honoring awards, or opening a new office with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. Photographs document the event. Addresses are delivered. Occasionally, there is sparkling wine. Yet behind the glitter lies an awkward reality: launching something is the simple task. The more challenging, gradual, and subdued efforts start once the clapping subsides.
I’ve been in boardrooms where top leaders fixated on the release date like it was fate, and also in rural bazaars where farmers celebrated “first sales” with music and dance. Each moment held significance, yet they were just the start. To truly commit to creativity, expansion, and lasting change, we must shift our focus from the excitement of launching to the structure required for maintaining success.
This is the core of what follows launch: perseverance.
The Temptation of the Debut
There’s an emotionally compelling aspect to product releases. People naturally gravitate towards innovation. Scientists have discovered that our brain’s pleasure center becomes activated when we come across something unfamiliar, be it a sleek device, an innovative concept, or simply an updated news title. News organizations understand this well. So do investors. Leaders perform ribbon-cutting ceremonies not because the curing of cement is interesting, but because people get excited about starting points.
That’s why, around the world, we honor MVPs (minimum viable products) as though they were complete businesses. That’s also why African technology incubators often receive more press coverage during pitch events than for their long-term viability studies. Additionally, that’s why some startup founders get caught up in the “entrepreneur idol” myth, viewing the excitement of starting out as the entire journey—when in reality, it isn’t.
However, innovation differs from durability. A product launched without an upkeep strategy is like a fleeting sparkler—eye-catching, indeed, yet disappearing into obscurity shortly after.
The Illusion of the Departure
The history of innovation is filled with ventures that initially impressed but eventually failed. Take Theranos in America as an example. It promised to transform blood testing and received massive financial backing along with prominent media coverage. However, behind the scenes, essential practices such as peer evaluation, upholding integrity, and making gradual enhancements were lacking. Ultimately, what crumbled wasn’t just the business, but also public confidence.
Nearby at home, Africa has experienced several notable launch failures. Certain governments initiated industrial zones with grand ceremonies, yet equipment quickly deteriorated within months due to unaccounted costs for replacement components. Several startups impressed investors through applications that gained initial popularity, but they neglected server updates or responsiveness to customer input. This “launch mirage” gives the appearance of advancement; however, lacking mechanisms for continuous improvement, it remains nothing more than an illusion.
The monetary sector offers one of the most striking lessons. The 2008 crash began with tools that were hailed on Wall Street as “breakthroughs.” What happened next wasn’t strength but failure since the structures supporting these creations had never been tested under pressure.
Feedback Loops are Oxygen
Resilience, however, relies on continuous feedback. In agriculture, it’s clear that plants react uniquely to rain every year. Farmers in the northern parts of Ghana change their sowing schedules repeatedly as they monitor shifts in the climate. This represents a cycle of observation, adjustment, and survival.
In the world of commerce, feedback mechanisms fulfill a similar role. Amazon’s vast network isn’t solely built upon its initial venture as an e-commerce book seller, but rather on its relentless refinement. It continuously experiments, collecting customer information, improving supply chains, adjusting formulas. These efforts remain unseen by consumers yet are essential for its continued success.
At Maxwell Investments Group, our network of farmers succeeds not just due to initial agreements, but thanks to ongoing efforts to build and sustain trust—through regular price changes, open dialogue, and quick responses when supply chain issues arise. Resilience after launch isn’t something created; it’s an evolving exchange between the system and its surroundings.
The Fragility of Forgetfulness
An additional threat to resilience is amnesia. Organizational recollection frequently suffers as a result of an excessive focus on innovation.
Africa provides striking illustrations. Colonial administrations constructed railroads that boosted commerce. However, following independence, upkeep was overlooked. Now, numerous of these lines are in poor condition, representing not advancement but the consequence of neglect.
In business environments, a similar cycle occurs repeatedly. Frequent changes in leadership erase valuable insights gained. Employees move around, documents remain unused, and each incoming leader seeks to “revamp” the company. Without an organized system for retaining knowledge, businesses end up making the same errors over again.
At Maxwell Investments Group, we intentionally focus on recording procedures, developing guidelines, and training team members across different areas. Although this isn’t exciting work and doesn’t often make news, it helps avoid weaknesses. It ensures knowledge remains available even as personnel change.
The Resilience Dividend
What makes someone concerned about the tedious process of upkeep and input? Because durability brings returns that initial successes cannot match.
Investors frequently seek signs of long-term stability. A startup that endures its initial challenges tends to draw more substantial investment compared to one that impresses during presentations. Indeed, perseverance turns into a type of security: evidence that a business won’t fail when faced with early economic fluctuations.
Take into account Ghana’s cocoa industry. Global purchasers prefer vendors capable of regularly providing high-quality beans across multiple years, rather than only for a single season. This regularity leads to higher prices. A similar principle applies in manufacturing, where dependable supply networks draw in international collaborators.
The benefits of resilience include both monetary gains and enhanced reputation. Companies recognized for their endurance after launching gain credibility, and credibility opens up more possibilities.
Why Do We Honor New Releases, Rather Than Endurance?
Nevertheless, even with this proof, our society still values new beginnings over sustained success. Why?
In part, this stems from novelty bias. People tend to place higher value on new things and less on older ones. Similarly, media outlets have an incentive to report on recent events instead of following ongoing developments. Additionally, financial markets frequently push executives to achieve quick successes rather than focus on sustained stability.
Even at award events, recognition for “Best Innovation” or “Top Emerging Startup” tends to be much more prevalent compared to honors acknowledging years of steady achievement. We celebrate new starts, not long-term perseverance. The risk is that our reward systems encourage business leaders to seek praise instead of developing strength and sustainability.
The Unseen Effort of upkeep
Maintenance faces a perception issue. It is often considered boring, unimaginative, “just functional.” However, upon closer inspection: maintenance represents a type of innovation.
A highway that endures for half a century is more groundbreaking than one that deteriorates within five years. A distribution network capable of handling disruptions is more creative than one that fails when challenged. A medical facility that consistently follows sanitation procedures preserves more lives than one that only focuses on expanding facilities.
We must acknowledge the value of behind-the-scenes efforts. Activities like maintaining systems, educating employees, improving procedures, and building connections are far from mere office tasks; they lie at the heart of strength and adaptability. Moreover, these responsibilities frequently demand greater ingenuity than the original implementation ever required.
Resilience as a Culture, Not a Procedure
Ultimately, long-term stability after launch goes beyond technology; it revolves around mindset. Companies that endure succeed because their employees demonstrate perseverance. They practice modesty, welcome input, and view errors as opportunities for growth.
Within our own environment, emerging business owners collaborate alongside seasoned leaders. The atmosphere emphasizes “learn, adjust, enhance” instead of “achieve perfection on the initial attempt.” This approach guarantees that whenever obstacles arise—because they inevitably do—the group reacts with strength and perseverance rather than giving way.
In the final analysis, culture represents the most fundamental structure supporting endurance. Lacking it, even the finest procedures will not succeed.
How Might Our Understanding of Achievement Change?
What if success was evaluated based on how enduring a company remained, rather than how much attention it initially received? What if recognition was awarded for ten years of steady performance, instead of just one moment of innovation?
Envision what could happen if investors and communities started honoring maintenance crews, resilience experts, and individuals who keep organizations running during difficult times. Picture a world where the unassuming effort of maintaining systems receives the same recognition as the loud efforts involved in starting new ones.
The reality is that product releases are important. However, without persistence after the launch, they lack substance. Innovation isn’t a one-time occurrence; it’s about sustained effort. It’s not judged by short bursts of recognition, but by long-term influence.
Once the clapping dies down, once the cameras have gone, once the bottle of champagne has been emptied, then the true effort starts. This is the kind of work that creates futures deserving of being lived.
I trust you found this article informative and engaging. Your input is highly regarded and welcomed. I’m open to recommendations for subjects you’d prefer me to explore or offer perspectives on. You may arrange a discussion with me via my Calendly link at
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Wishing you an extremely fruitful and prosperous week coming up!
♕ —- ♕ —- ♕ —- ♕ —- ♕
The writer, Dr. Maxwell Ampong, holds the position of CEO at
Maxwell Investments Group
He also serves as an Honorary Curator at the Ghana National Museum and acts as the Official Business Advisor for Ghana’s biggest agricultural trade union within the framework of Ghana’s Trade Union Congress (TUC). Founder of
WellMax Inclusive Insurance
and
WellMax Micro-Credit
Dr. Ampong contributes articles on pressing economic issues and offers broad viewpoint pieces.
‘Entrepreneur In You’
functions with the support of the
Africa School of Entrepreneurship
an effort led by Maxwell Investments Group.
Note: The perspectives, ideas, and viewpoints shared in this piece belong exclusively to the writer, Dr. Maxwell Ampong, and may not align with the official policies, positions, or convictions of Maxwell Investments Group or its related entities. References made to regulations or guidelines indicate the author’s personal understanding and are not meant as an official statement from Maxwell Investments Group. This material is offered purely for educational use and should not be considered as legal, monetary, or investment guidance. Those who read this are encouraged to obtain separate counsel prior to acting upon anything mentioned here. Maxwell Investments Group will not hold accountability or face consequences for inaccuracies or missing details within the content or for choices made using the presented data.
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