Slacker theory of entrepreneurship
The Slacker Theory: Do "Lazy" People Make Better Entrepreneurs?
Do you really need a relentless work ethic to succeed? The "Slacker Theory" of entrepreneurship challenges the conventional wisdom of hustle culture. It suggests that individuals who are not particularly motivated by hard labor—or those who simply have more free time—may actually possess a distinct advantage in the startup world.
While often discussed more as a rumor than a formal framework, this theory posits that entrepreneurial opportunities are difficult to discover when one is busy. Perhaps the "slacker" has the mental bandwidth and resilience to keep tinkering long after the busy worker has given up.
The Two Types of "Slack" Advantage
To understand this theory, we must look at two different interpretations of what it means to be a "slacker" in business.
1. Cognitive Slack: The Creative Advantage
By embracing a more laid-back approach to work, entrepreneurs may find creative solutions to problems that others overlook. Bill Gates famously said, "I choose a lazy person to do a hard job. Because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it."
Entrepreneurs who deviate from the Type-A, hard-driving archetype may be more willing to think outside the box, finding efficient shortcuts rather than brute-forcing their way to success.
2. Resource Slack: The Privilege Advantage
The second interpretation is less about personality and more about resources. In this context, a "slacker" is someone with "slack resources"—time, money, and a safety net.
If an individual is born into a situation that affords them considerable slack (e.g., a well-to-do family), the chance that they can try entrepreneurship increases dramatically. This aligns with research on social safety nets.
The logic is simple: Entrepreneurship is time-consuming and often unrewarding in the short term. One needs to be sustained by some other flow of resources to survive the "garage phase."
The Academic Link: Organizational Slack
While the "Slacker Theory" sounds informal, it is closely related to the academic concept of Organizational Slack. This is defined as the cushion of actual or potential resources that allows an organization to adapt to internal pressures.
Marlin and Geiger (2015) point to a relationship between available resources and innovation outcomes. The theory suggests that:
- Zero Slack: Leads to panic and short-term thinking (no innovation).
- Optimal Slack: Allows for experimentation, failure, and play (high innovation).
- Excessive Slack: Can lead to complacency.
The "Garage Entrepreneur" Connection
The Slacker Theory is also related to the Great Man Theory of entrepreneurship. Both try to explain the archetype of the "garage entrepreneur": usually young people with time to tinker with new ideas alongside their friends.
Slacker-friendly college campuses often become incubators of excellent startup ideas precisely because students avoid their formal studies in favor of the glamour (and freedom) of entrepreneuring.
Video: The Psychology of the "Lazy" Entrepreneur
References
Marlin, D., & Geiger, S. W. (2015). A reexamination of the organizational slack and innovation relationship. Journal of Business Research, 68(12), 2683-2690.
