In the fast-paced world of startups, I often see some entrepreneurs leaning excessively towards exploration, neglecting the daily necessities of exploitation. And others immerse themselves too much in exploitation, neglecting openness to innovation and strategy. For me, the right entrepreneur is not the one who prefers one over the other or chooses between them; it’s the one who considers both exploration and exploitation in the allocation of their priorities. The real quest, which is not so obvious at first, lies in the ability to find the right balance.

For this, don’t hesitate to regularly take the time to reflect on how you allocate your time between exploitation and exploration. When you are in exploitation, don’t let yourself be distracted by exploration, as it is very tempting to get carried away by it. And when you devote whole periods to exploration, be able to completely disconnect from the daily routine… even though I know it’s sometimes impossible!