“Fall in love with the problem, not the solution.”
This advice from business leader Dave Nilssen rings especially true for me—and for any leader who’s wrestled with change, innovation, or impact.
It’s a lesson I’ve learned the hard way. It’s human nature—especially for leaders and innovators—to get attached to the solutions we dream up. We envision a better way, build a plan, and then set out to “sell” our solution. But too often, we skip a step: we forget to sell the problem first.
Einstein famously said:
“If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.”
That may feel counterintuitive, especially in fast-paced leadership environments where quick wins and flashy innovations can steal the spotlight. But experience has taught me—time and again—that the path to real change begins by falling in love with the problem.
The E-rate Lesson: Selling the Problem Comes First
Back in the early 2010s, I began to see the warning signs that the E-rate program’s funding priority rules needed serious updates. A small group of us put together what we believed was a strong solution. But there was a problem—no one seemed very interested.
Why? Because most stakeholders hadn’t fully understood or believed in the problem we were trying to solve.
It wasn’t until we, as an industry, got aligned on the underlying challenge that momentum truly began. We listened. We educated. We clarified the stakes. And once the problem was widely understood, the community rallied—and the result was a collaboratively developed solution that ultimately shaped today’s more effective regulatory framework.
When the “Perfect” Tool Misses the Mark
A similar experience played out inside our team at Funds For Learning. We licensed what seemed like a great CRM solution. On paper, it had everything we needed: integrations, workflows, automations. We were sold on the tool’s potential.
But in our excitement about the solution, we lost sight of the problem. When implementation was complete, we had a system that looked impressive—but didn’t meet our original need very well. We hadn’t fully defined the core challenge, and so the solution we picked wasn’t anchored to reality.
Why It Matters
Falling in love with the solution too soon is risky. It’s seductive, yes—but it can lead to wasted resources, missed impact, and frustrated teams. When we center our focus on understanding the problem first, we:
- Build alignment with our teams and stakeholders
- Create space for multiple solutions to emerge
- Reduce the risk of implementing “shiny” fixes that miss the mark
- Stay grounded in the real needs of those we serve
Call to Action: Embrace the Problem
To my fellow entrepreneurs, EdTech innovators, and mission-driven leaders: take a beat before pitching the next big idea. Ask first:
Do the people around me believe in the problem I’m trying to solve?
If not—start there. Because when we fall in love with the problem, the right solution has a chance to take root.
