4 Incredibly Simple Yet Valuable Lessons From Bumble Billionaire CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd

Ditch fear and take a leaf from the billionaire CEO

Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder, and CEO of Bumble has become the world's youngest self-made female billionaire at 31. In seven years, she has managed to scale the business to over $7 billion, bringing it to a valuation of $13bn

A pretty epic feat in my book.

Her journey to billionaire, much like most entrepreneurs was fraught with setbacks most notably the sexual harassment lawsuit against Tinder. Nonetheless, she persevered and overcame the setbacks.

Her win can serve as a template for entrepreneurs- especially female entrepreneurs, young or old.

I am always fascinated by stories and individuals who turn lemons to lemonade, who make setbacks their bi*ch and forge new paths along the way.

They serve as timeless reminders of the temerity of the human spirit in meeting a goal. And if you are able to glean the surface for the lessons along their journey, we are in turn empowered the take the leap of faith and make a change in our lives- whatever that change looks like.

You don't have to be an entrepreneur to take cues from her success. You can be a 9–5er looking to become better at what you do.

Whatever the case, here are 4 lessons from Bumble billionaire CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd, that we can learn;

Start somewhere and go for it

Don’t be scared of the ‘what ifs,’ because the truth is, the only failure is not trying. That’s the only way you can fail. Trying and having it not work out isn’t failure- Wolfe Wolfe Herd.

According to a CNBC interview with Whitney, starting is the hardest part of the journey. Having an idea is the easiest part, executing on that idea, is tricky.

This is where we get stumped. We are stumped because we see the big picture but are petrified of the small steps needed to create the picture. That is a real fear. But the fear doesn’t go away, so really going in and figuring things out along the way is the best way to exercise the muscle of faith.

Find out what starting looks like to you. Does it look like scribbles on a piece of paper, does it look like scouring the internet for information, does it look like reaching out to an industry expert for advice? Whatever the start looks like, take the step.

Fear complacency

I think fear and fear of the unknown and perceived failure is what holds people back. For me, I am more scared of complacency than having something not work out. I’d rather take a leap of faith and fall than stand on the edge forever- Whitney Wolfe Herd

When starting something new, there is a real tendency to dwell on the ‘what ifs’. The what-ifs are mostly steeped in the fear of potential failure. Any initial excitement we may have quickly turns to dread at the failure that may occur.

It's okay to feel afraid. The real risk with doing something new is that you may not always get it right all the time. But there is potential in trying. You are never going to know what you are made of or what your idea is capable of birthing if you don't try.

Every time I find myself feeling afraid of failure, I take it as a cue to do it anyway. For instance, I was afraid of sending my pitches to major publications. But I did it anyway. From the rejections, I am learning to pivot, to better understand the needs, and go again.

So if you look at ‘fear’ as a teacher, and ‘failure’ as its assistant, and take steps despite them, you are already more powerful than you think.

Keep it simple

If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough- Albert Einstein

The simplest ideas that we have are often the winner. Think Google, Amazon, Spanx, or even Bumble.

Their services can be summarised and explained simply. They serve to meet an existing and persistent need.

Albert Einstein once said, “if you can’t explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough’ and if you don't understand it well enough, why would anyone else?

Simplify your idea and deliver with little to no hassle. Frills are cool, but you can do without them. They can always be added later on.

Know your customers

By taking the lessons from the negative experience, Whitney was able to idealize what she wanted from her app.

Besides understanding what she wanted she was keenly aware of what her customers- women wanted, a “service by women, for women”. Bumble is a place where women are empowered to make the first move (a real issue in the dating world).

If you don't understand yourself and your customers, chances are you might be derailed in your pursuits.

It isn't easy to understand your customers. But if you take the relational approach, as opposed to a transactional one, there is potential for growth. A relationship approach indicates that you are ready to pay attention to customer needs, that you are adaptable and malleable to the evolution that they go through. It is a balancing act. Like flirting, respectfully of course.

Final Thoughts

The ideas expressed by Whitney Herd are not new. They seem to be foundational elements for entrepreneurs that have made their mark.

She serves as a great example of how things can go right from something seemingly wrong. She is both an inspirational and aspirational figure for women in showing what can be achieved from a simple idea and executing on the idea.

The great thing about these lessons is that they are not only relegated to the entrepreneurship journey but can be applied to your work. Whether it's applying for a job or going for that promotion or attending to customers' needs, the lessons have staying power. So really you can;

• Start somewhere and go for it
• Fear complacency
• Keep it simple
• Know your customers

There is freedom waiting for you, on the breezes of the sky. And you ask, ‘What if I fall?’ Oh, but my darling, ‘What if you fly?’ — Poet, Erin Hanson