{"id":6420,"date":"2026-09-03T13:59:24","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T12:59:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodoakshomecare.co.uk\/franchise\/?post_type=newsletters&p=6420"},"modified":"2026-09-03T14:42:30","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T13:42:30","slug":"using-hedgehogs-to-shortlist-your-start-up-options","status":"publish","type":"newsletters","link":"https:\/\/www.goodoakshomecare.co.uk\/franchise\/found-this\/using-hedgehogs-to-shortlist-your-start-up-options\/","title":{"rendered":"Using hedgehogs to shortlist your start-up options"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you’re in the research phase – tabs open, spreadsheets half-built, weighing up which business to actually start – this one’s for you.<\/p>\n

There’s a line from the Greek poet Archilochus that Jim Collins built a whole chapter of Good to Great around: “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.”<\/p>\n

The fox is clever and quick, always chasing the next idea. The hedgehog isn’t flashy. It does the one thing it’s great at, and it wins every time.<\/p>\n

Most people choosing a business think like foxes. They chase whatever looks hottest; the trendy app, the dropshipping wheeze, the thing a mate swears is booming. And they burn out, because “interesting” isn’t the same as “right for me.”<\/p>\n

Collins found the opposite works better. The best move sits where three circles overlap:<\/p>\n

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  • What you’re deeply passionate about<\/strong> – not just “don’t mind,” but could happily talk about for a decade.<\/li>\n
  • What you can be the best in your area at<\/strong> – a real edge where you are, not in theory.<\/li>\n
  • What actually drives the economics<\/strong> – a model that actually makes money, ideally in a way that compounds.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The magic is in the overlap. Loads of ideas hit one circle. A few hit two. The rare opportunity sits in the middle of all three. That’s the one worth years of your life.<\/p>\n

    How to use this on your shortlist\u2028\u2028Take whatever’s on your list right now and score each one honestly against the three circles:<\/p>\n

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    • Could I stay passionate about this on a wet Tuesday in year three?<\/li>\n
    • Do I have an edge here \u2014 a background, a network, a temperament that fits?<\/li>\n
    • Is the money real and durable, or am I hoping it works?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Be ruthless. A “yes, yes, maybe” beats a “brilliant, no, yes” every single time. The idea that excites you but you’d be mediocre at is a trap. So is the money-printer you’d quietly resent.<\/p>\n

      Why I landed on homecare<\/strong><\/p>\n

      I’ll admit my bias, but this is exactly why homecare kept winning my own shortlist:<\/p>\n

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      • Passion<\/strong>: it’s work that demonstrably matters. You’re helping families, keeping someone in their own home, with dignity. That carries you through the hard years.<\/li>\n
      • Best in your area<\/strong>: care is intensely local. A committed owner who knows their town can genuinely be the best provider in it – you’re not fighting a Silicon Valley giant.<\/li>\n
      • Economics<\/strong>: an ageing population, recurring revenue, and demand that doesn’t vanish in a downturn.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        That’s not a coincidence; it’s a sector that happens to sit in the middle of all three circles for a lot of people.<\/p>\n

        Found this useful?\u2028\u2028<\/strong><\/p>\n

        Before you fall for the most exciting idea, find the one big thing where all three of your circles meet. Grab a scrap of paper, list your options, and score each out of three. The winner is usually quieter\u2026 and far more likely to still be standing in five years.<\/p>\n

        Best,<\/p>\n

        Ben<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","newsletter_category":[],"class_list":["post-6420","newsletters","type-newsletters","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodoakshomecare.co.uk\/franchise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newsletters\/6420","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodoakshomecare.co.uk\/franchise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newsletters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodoakshomecare.co.uk\/franchise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/newsletters"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodoakshomecare.co.uk\/franchise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6420"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"newsletter_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodoakshomecare.co.uk\/franchise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newsletter_category?post=6420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}