Seinfeld, arguably the most influential comedy show ever put on the tube, now offers startup advice.
Amid the daily airing of grievances and feats of strength entrepreneurs experience, most share a desire to learn. Often, it’s from the usual suspects: books, incubators, seminars, mentors and friends. But Tyler Prochnow, senior partner at Think Big Partners, has found another source of inspiration: Seinfeld.
“For years, I’ve driven my wife crazy claiming that nearly every situation we (and the rest of the human population) face can be explained by a Seinfeld episode,” Prochnow (left) writes in his blog, Seinfeld for Startups. “Despite the show focusing on the inane minutiae of their everyday routines, there are huge lessons that can be gleamed from the 10 years we spent following the lives of Jerry, George, Elaine and Cosmo.”
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He started the blog in April to prove his hypothesis, first shared over dinner with friends, that every situation in life had a lesson to be learned from what critics called “a show about nothing.” Prochnow argues it’s about “everything.” Not that there’s anything wrong with that idea, but he soon realized he would have to narrow the focus to get any value out of the experiment. So he turned to what’s familiar.
“Since I spend an inordinate amount of time around entrepreneurs and early-stage companies, this seemed like an appropriate starting point,” he writes. “Does every episode of Seinfeld have a substantive message or provide guidance for startup companies?”
Twelve episodes in of what he considers a year-long project, Prochnow always shares a plot summary, fun facts, favorite quotes, a favorite scene and, of course, the lesson. My favorite lesson of Prochnow’s comes from “The Jacket” (Season 2, Episode 3):
Jerry loves his new jacket. He loves it so much, he tells George, “This jacket has completely changed my life. When I leave the house in this, it’s with a whole different confidence. Like tonight, I might’ve been a little nervous. But, inside this jacket, I am composed, grounded, secure that I can meet any social challenge.” He then precedes to wilt under the pressure of Alton Benes’ personality, and all that new found confidence is shattered. The jacket didn’t change Jerry physically, it just gave him false confidence. Entrepreneurs often face the same dilemma. Having someone you respect say something nice about your company, interest from a potential investor or a favorable mention in the media, can all create a false sense of optimism and progress. Yes, all of those developments are nice and are indicators that you may be on the right track, but none of them are actually moving your business forward.
Prochnow welcomes everyone to join him in the Seinlanguage conversation. The 90s classic has been re-gifted for entrepreneurs, and there’s plenty of soup for everyone.
“Hello, Jerry. Hello, Newman.“
Credits: Photo from NBC. Video from YouTube.
