Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face

Irwin See
Jul 8
2 min read

“Follow your passion.”

It’s the feel-good mantra of entrepreneurship. We hear it everywhere—from commencement speeches to startup forums. But in the real world of building and scaling a business, following your passion can sometimes lead to poor decisions, financial loss, and even failure.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

just because you love something doesn’t mean there’s a market for it.

Passion Isn’t Strategy

Many passionate founders fall into the trap of building a business they love, not a business the market needs. They become emotionally attached to their product, service, or idea—and blind to real feedback.

For example, someone might be deeply passionate about artisanal chocolate or handmade pottery. They launch a brand, pour in time and money, only to realize too late that their niche has limited scale, or that customers aren’t willing to pay the premium price.

Passion can cloud judgment. It makes you overly optimistic. You hear compliments instead of criticism. You chase perfection instead of traction.

ASEAN Case Study: A Coffee Dream Gone Cold

A founder in Malaysia, obsessed with coffee culture, launched a specialty coffee brand with imported beans and custom brewing techniques. The setup was beautiful. The café was his dream.

But he opened in a residential suburb with limited foot traffic, where most consumers preferred cheap, convenient drinks. His pricing was 4x the average local café. When sales didn’t meet expectations, he doubled down—adding more complex menu items and launching a premium subscription.

Six months in, he ran out of cash. The café closed. He later admitted:

“I built it for myself. Not for the customer.”

What Businesses Need More Than Passion

Market Understanding: Know who you're selling to, what they value, and how much they’re willing to pay. Your passion must intersect with demand.
Flexibility Over Obsession: Passionate founders often resist change. Successful founders adapt. They listen to feedback and shift when needed.
Execution > Emotion: Loving what you do is nice. But businesses survive on systems, margins, cash flow, and customer satisfaction—not just enthusiasm.

Should You Abandon Passion Altogether?

Not at all. Passion is fuel—it gives you energy, resilience, and creativity. But it’s not the map. Let passion support your mission, not define it. The best businesses aren’t built on passion alone—they’re built on value creation, customer insight, and disciplined execution.

Final Thought

If you’re launching a business, don’t start with what you love.Start with what others need.

Let passion follow strategy—not lead it.

About Us

Curt & Co Pte Ltd is a consulting company started amongst a group of business owners who were looking for a consulting company themselves for advice !

Our offices and our focus markets are in Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia. With clients ranging from 1 man operating SMEs to listed companies, we are proud to have helped our clients across different industries gain market entry into the South East Asian region.