Given recent world events, we decided that wouldn’t it be interesting to examine what the results would be if elected officials and their policies were put under the same scrutiny as are startups – using an investor lens.

We use the following simply as an example.

There have been several mandates/regulations coming from the current administration and state and local governments that are pushing the population to reduce the amount of fossil fuels burned for residential purposes and pushing us increasingly onto the power grid.

Back in May, “New York officially became the first U.S. state to ban gas stoves from new residential building construction,” CBS News reported.

Never mind “that New York does not have the legal ability to enforce the gas stove ban because a preexisting federal law, called the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) of 1975, already regulates energy use policies” said Fox News. “Such a patchwork approach would be the antithesis of a national energy policy.”

Shades of Uber, what, eh, and that favorite tech standby, ‘Ask forgiveness, not permission.’

So why are federal regulations in place? Well, there’s this thing called the national power grid,  and for the record, electric power plants are powered by fossil fuels.  It was a hot summer. Power grids were pushed to the limits, which is why parts of the nation experienced brownouts and blackouts.  So, yes, there is a reason why state and local elected officials can’t push policy or regulate/legislate for, let’s say, a personal agenda or that of a particular lobby or, let’s be honest, for the optics.

And considering what fuels electric power plants, are we truly cutting down on fossil fuels with this at the end of the day? Or creating a problem where one doesn’t exist (product/market fit, in case you missed it).

Which is why startups, in some cases, need to defer to subject matter experts.

As should elected officials, for that matter.

Most importantly – and this one is for investors, too – it’s critical to engage in 360-degree thinking. We often hear that investors put their money on the team, and there’s a reason for it. Everyone pivots, since, as companies move forward, the warts tend to start revealing themselves – and it could mean a hard stop for a startup. So, is this the team who’s going to plunge headlong into the fray and figure it out?

Or will they throw their hands up and decide, “oh, well, rumor has it that investors don’t mind failure. We’ll just start another company! We’re now experienced serial founders, after all! Investors like that!” Meanwhile, there are those investors who feel that at least those founders/that team has been through the startup drill before are now aware that there are landmines in the tech landscape, so they won’t repeat those mistakes, and they invest in that team – or some iteration of it – the next time around.

…In case you’re wondering why most startups fail. And maybe even why many elected officials who have displayed disastrous tunnel vision manage to get reelected.

Perhaps there are those who believe that Einstein’s definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result – doesn’t apply to all sectors or verticals.

Meanwhile, in the case of electric stoves and heating and pushing us even further onto the already overtaxed grid, as the Wall Street Journal reported, The Next Big Solar Storm Could Fry the Grid Scientists are using artificial intelligence to better predict what the sun will do and give Earth more warning to protect satellites and electronics. You can’t stop solar storms, but not a bad idea – re leaving gas stoves and furnaces in place – to not exacerbate the problem.

Which is why having true subject matter experts on the team or as advisors at the very least is so important – and ofttimes overlooked by startups. Or not even considered in the first place.

That and 360-degree thinking needs to be part of the DNA of a startup, what to speak of elected officials (which, we understand, may be asking a lot). The ability to consider all eventualities that may arise at least 20 minutes into the future – and hopefully longer term – and look honestly and with both eyes open at a potential problem – warts and all. Onward and forward.