💡 Here's the key to becoming an MVP

Hi Reader! 👋

Phew, it's been an action-packed August — filled with fun family vacations, inspiring entrepreneurship masterminds, powerful corporate workshops, and a crazy amount of back-to-school parent info sessions.

Plus I made a new header for this newsletter. Whoop!

Here's the mindset that can make anyone a company MVP.

Two weeks ago, I spent a weekend with a group of other entrepreneurs (many in the world of training and facilitation) for a mastermind on taking our businesses to the next level. It was held at the HQ for for online community platform Skool, and their space is pretty sweet.

I literally have half of a notebook filled with insights and a-ha moments, but one in particular jumped out at me as a clear and compelling way to articulate something that is vital for an entrepreneur, probably the single most important thing to look for when hiring for your team, and a sure-fire way to make yourself an MVP in your own organization.

It's a mindset that everything is figure-out-able.

Those are powerful words.

Whatever work throws our way, we'll figure it out. Whatever we don't currently understand, but need to, we'll figure it out.

When our goals are ambitious... When our clients ask for something that isn't easy... When our boss isn't exactly clear about what they mean but expects it to get done anyway... When our business model suddenly, frustratingly, isn't viable anymore... When our Powerpoint file gets corrupted, won't open, and the meeting is in ten minutes... Or when we have an interesting — possibly amazing — idea, and we need to bring it to life...

Everything is figure-out-able.

Think about the opposite of that mindset for a sec. Charitably, I'd call that kind of person a complainy-face. You know, the type of person who shares potential "reasons this might not work" — and thinks that counts as a valuable contribution to the discussion. These are the people that not only slow everyone else down, but can drain an entire team's enthusiasm faster than Léon Marchand can swim 400 meters.

There is an unstoppable energy that comes with an everything is figure-out-able mindset. Flip this switch on and suddenly potential is everywhere. Problems become opportunities. Everything feels possible, because we know it is.

And it's infectious. (But so is complaining, so watch out.)

Everything is figure-out-able. These words matter. Write them down and keep them someplace you'll see them regularly — whether on a post-it by your monitor or in a fancy frame on the wall. Make it a mantra.

And then watch out, world.

This week's creative thinking workout:

11 Stars.

This was another big a-ha from the mastermind I mentioned earlier. Someone shared the concept of "designing an eleven star experience"
from this article from AirBNB co-founder Reid Hoffman, and I love love love it.

(It's Lesson #2 in the article and you should really read how he explains it.)

The point is to get to unexpected ideas by pushing all the way into crazytown territory, before pulling back a bit.

Here's how to apply it:

Take whatever project you're working on, and imagine whatever the 5-star experience of that thing would look like. Because 5-stars is the best, right?
Cool. Now, imagine what a 6-star experience would look like. Better than five stars, obviously.
Then 7-star. 8, 9, 10. And finally, what would an ELEVEN star version of this look like? Write out a vision for what each step might be like.
By necessity, the latter versions will look pretty crazy and out-of-this world. But go there and write out a vision of it.
Somewhere between the 5 star ideas and the 11 star ideas are probably some actual things your team could make happen to create an amazing experience in the context of whatever your project is.

Give it a shot — and if you're up for it, email me what your 11-star vision looks like. I'd love to see what you came up with. Especially if it's crazytown.

Smiles,
-Tim-

Let's Lightbulb - Founder / CEO / Crusher of Soulcrushers

Let's Lightbulb is a strategic facilitation consultancy, specializing in outcome-based workshops, off-sites, sprints and trainings. We specialize in working with leadership teams, inspiring creative thinking, and keeping things soulcrusher-free.

If you know of anyone looking for a facilitator for any of the above, we'd appreciate you sharing our info.

Every week in this newsletter, I share how to reduce the stuff that makes our work not-fun, and increase the stuff that makes work fun.

It's 98.3% Pollyanna-thinking-free.

Thanks for reading, and please share with friends and colleagues that might find it valuable — because we need more fun people in the world.

If you're getting this email, you either signed up at LetsLightbulb.com or via a webinar registration. If you're no longer interested, you can unsubscribe here or adjust your preferences here.

Lightbulb, inc.
3415 South Sepulveda Blvd. #1126, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Let's Lightbulb

💡 Here's the key to becoming an MVP

Here's the mindset that can make anyone a company MVP.

This week's creative thinking workout:

💡 Let's Lightbulb — March 31, 2026

💡 Let's Lightbulb — March 22, 2026

💡 Let's Lightbulb — March 13, 2026