The Unseen Decisions: Mariam Gogidze on Avoiding Business Pitfalls

In a recent LinkedIn post, Mariam Gogidze shares candid reflections on the critical, often unseen decisions that shape a company’s trajectory. She highlights the importance of recognizing and avoiding ‘near-misses’ – small choices that could have led to significant long-term problems, emphasizing that these are often more revealing of true judgment than the major, visible choices.

Gogidze writes:

“I’m sharing these because everyone shows you the finished thing. Nobody shows you the dozen near-misses that shaped it. And the near-misses are where the actual judgment lives.”

The founder details several instances where she nearly made choices that, in retrospect, would have undermined her core business strategy and positioning. These cautionary tales offer valuable lessons for entrepreneurs navigating the complexities of building a business.

Avoiding Contradictory Offers

One significant near-miss involved the naming of a core service. Gogidze explains that she almost named a service “AI Visibility Audit.” While seemingly descriptive, she recognized this name would contradict her fundamental business philosophy.

As Gogidze notes, her core message to clients is that visibility is not the ultimate goal; acquiring clients is. She argues:

“Rankings are a vanity metric; pipeline is the goal. An offer called ‘visibility audit’ would’ve sold the exact thing I tell people to stop chasing.”

This realization allowed her to pivot to a name that better aligned with her strategic positioning, preventing a subtle but significant disconnect that could have confused potential clients and diluted her brand message.

Strategic Application Form Design

Another critical decision point for Gogidze was the inclusion of a budget question on her company’s application form. While standard sales advice often dictates qualifying leads based on budget early in the process, Gogidze chose a different path.

She explains that adding a budget field could deter applicants and might not effectively filter for the *right* clients. Instead, Gogidze prefers to have a direct conversation to gauge suitability. She states:

“I’d rather have the conversation.”

This approach prioritizes building rapport and understanding client needs over a potentially superficial budget-based qualification, demonstrating a commitment to a more personalized sales process.

The Discipline of Restraint in Content Creation

Gogidze also touched upon the temptation to overshare or get lost in the details, particularly when it comes to content creation. She admitted to almost writing a lengthy “founder’s manifesto” on her company’s homepage.

While she enjoys writing, Gogidze recognized that the primary goal of the homepage was to quickly convey the value of the offer. She had to exercise restraint, cutting down the content significantly. For Gogidze, this act of self-discipline was more challenging than the initial writing process itself.

Navigating Business Interdependencies

A further point of reflection for Gogidze involved potential conflicts between her different business ventures. She almost included an FAQ comparing “personal brand vs. company brand” on one site.

While seemingly helpful, Gogidze identified that this content could inadvertently cannibalize her other business, which focuses specifically on personal branding. To avoid this, she chose to redirect potential clients cleanly rather than create internal competition. This strategic separation ensures clarity and supports the distinct objectives of each business line.

The Sum of ‘No’s

The overarching theme from Gogidze’s reflections is that the true work of building a company lies not in the grand, visible decisions, but in the small, often unnoticed choices that reinforce or contradict established truths. She posits that the company one builds is ultimately the sum of the decisions one rejects.

“The company you build is the sum of the things you said no to,” Gogidze concludes. “Most of them, nobody ever sees.” Her insights underscore the continuous need for entrepreneurs to align their daily decisions with their core vision and values, a process that requires constant vigilance and self-awareness.