You can’t build consensus and something new at the same time. The biggest breakthroughs often start with everyone telling you you’re wrong.
There’s a point when every founder has to decide whether to ignore the feedback. For Stefan Hertzberg, that came early.
“Instant coffee is junk,” people told him when he first started exploring the idea. Perfect. He saw that skepticism as signal.
After a decade in finance and tech, he wanted to move from “bits to atoms,” to build something more people could actually experience in real life. That became Vivi Labs, a longevity coffee company betting that the easiest way to change your health is to start with the one habit you never skip: your morning coffee.
When the loudest voices say no, that’s the best signal you’ll get. “Everybody told us, don’t do this,” Stefan says. “They said, instant coffee is junk. No one’s ever going to buy an expensive, premium instant coffee product.” He took that as a sign the idea was early, not wrong.
Relieve pressure, make better decisions. Three of the four Vivi founders are still employed. “It relieves the pressure valve from you making bad decisions,” Stefan says, who can make business decisions based on standards, not strict timelines.
Socialize your idea before starting. Talk about it nonstop to friends, advisors, anyone who’ll listen. The repetition forces you to refine the idea, gauge your excitement, and collect feedback.
Ask for help early, and often. Stefan sent 100 LinkedIn messages to people working at brands he admired, and got a wealth of information for free. One of those messages led to a connection with a California manufacturer experienced in functional ingredients that now produces Vivi coffee.
Focus on one priority at a time. “If you have more than one priority, you have none,” Stefan quotes author Frank Slootman. Each week, Stefan gives 80% of his attention to one thing, whether it’s manufacturing, fundraising, or marketing; and rotates next week.
Market insight → Consumers are investing more in how they feel than in what they own. From wellness routines to productivity hacks, the next wave of consumer growth is powered by self-optimization.
A reason to go mad for NAD
One-priority framework
Because “doing everything” isn’t a strategy.
1. List what actually matters: Write down every project you’re working on (fundraising, product, hiring, marketing, etc.)
2. Pick your core priority. Ask yourself which one moves the business forward fastest? That’s your focus for the next seven days. Everything else is autopilot or emergency-only.
3. Design around it. Block your calendar, mute Slack, and plan two or three daily tasks that ladder up to that one goal.
4. Review weekly. At the end of the week, assess: Did we make visible progress? If yes, rotate. If no, keep going.