Progress without proof.

Performance culture taught teams to trust numbers more than instinct. Every move now needs validation, every risk needs precedent.

But the work that shifts industries rarely starts with proof.

There was no data for Lululemon’s original category.

No metrics predicting Nike’s “Just Do It.”

Progress begins as a feeling, not a figure. It shows up in energy, tension, and curiosity; signs that something’s moving before results appear. Founders who only act when the numbers confirm it will always trail their own instincts.

To build progress before proof:

1. Prototype. Test ideas in small ways that reveal direction, not data.

2. Listen for conviction. Pay attention to what excites or divides the team. Friction signals life.

3. Document intuition. Write down what feels right before it’s proven. Revisit it later to see what held true.

4. Redefine evidence. Look for energy, conversation, and creative pull as early indicators of momentum.

Proof is comfortable. Belief moves faster.

Reflections to work through:

What idea keeps waiting for more data?

Where has the search for certainty slowed progress?

What would happen if decisions were made on instinct once a week?

What tension could signal something worth pursuing?

Growth starts where comfort ends. Let’s talk

Ian Adams, Founder the little red sofa

Before founding the little red sofa, I led strategy and creative for brands like Jeep, HSBC, and Unilever at top global agencies and in-house teams across 8 countries. Now I work with founders to turn brand clarity into sustainable growth.