Turpin & Associates, LLC

The Power of Napkin Math

by Josh Turpin, December 2, 2010

All good ideas start on the back of a napkin.  That's my theory anyway.  What does this mean?  Microsoft started in a garage.  Facebook started in a college dorm room.  All of these ideas most likely started on a small piece of scratch paper or the back of a napkin.  Wherever it happnes, I call it napkin math. 

Napkin math isn't always just math.  Sometimes is is a chart, a diagram, a sketch or a list.  It is when the pen first hits the paper.  It is the first stop on a quick trip to see if a project is even worth considering.

Napkin math is critical in business development for the following reasons.

1. It helps make the project seem "real" by giving you a visual reference.  This is the embryonic stage of the process but so very important in bringing a project to life.
2. Sets the foundation for success by capturing early thoughts on record.  So many good ideas are lost because the infant ideas are lost among the clutter.  Putting it on paper helps you capture or burn the information in your mind. 
3. It can save a tremendous amount of time if you consider all of the facts in an unbiased manner.  No one wants to invest a lot of time and money in a losing endeavor.  Quick napkin math can quickly tell you if the idea is evenworth spending a lot of time on.  Don't force the idea.  Often there is a reason why someone has not already done what you are thinking...or if they have, a reason why it is not making headlines.