Derek Morin

Love, Work & Shopify Derek Morin

Love, Work & Shopify explains what it takes to start a business and a love relationship, through 18 short stories.



Written by Derek Morin, CEO of Tabarnapp, a Shopify expert company building apps (Automatic Discount, Ultimate Upsell) and themes (Konversion).



Real4
Choice 8
Pickup10
Kiss14
Million17
Timing20
Rejection22
Fail25
Check27
Switch30
Support33
Weather36
Unsexy39
The42
Shit44
Less47
Fit50
Focus52



REAL (1ST chapter)



Starting a business is like starting a romantic relationship-a love-hate one.



In his famous triangular theory of love, psychologist Robert Sternberg identifies the three key ingredients that make things happen.



-Passion
-Intimacy
-Commitment

His theory explains how these three elements should be present to experience a consummate love.



Starting a business follows the same logic. At its root, there is an entrepreneur: you. And you need the same three ingredients to thrive.



-Passion: To have a strong feeling of enthusiasm.
-Intimacy: To feel close and attached to it.
-Commitment: To stick to it, to work hard and be loyal.

An entrepreneur's power depends on the absolute strength of these three components, and the success of a cofounding team, exactly like that of a couple in love, depends on their strengths relative to each other.

[...] Let's have a look at Sternberg's types of love, remixed into Tabarnapp's types of entrepreneurs.

-Wannabe: He's close to his startup but lacks passion and commitment (except maybe the passion for getting rich and commitment to procrastination).



-Crush: He has a crush for an idea and feels passionate about it but has no intimacy with or commitment to it. Over time, he vanishes without leaving an impression.



-Empty: He's committed without any intimacy or passion. He's like a person trapped in an arranged marriage.



-One-nighter: Oh boy, he has some passion and intimacy, but he ain't got any commitment! He believes in overnight success, but ironically, he's always gone when the sun rises.



-Businessman: He's an intimate, non-passionate type of entrepreneur with a long-term commitment. He manages business on a day-to-day level. His business is like a member of his family or a close friend.



-Lover at First Sight: He's passionate and committed, yet lacks intimacy. He's stupid enough to fall intensely and quickly for every idea without getting attached or taking the time to get close to it.



-Real: He's the complete form of an entrepreneur. He differentiates himself through his ability to achieve and especially maintain an incomparable level of passion, intimacy, and commitment. Above all, the reason he's real is that he translates passion, intimacy and commitment into action. Here's a warning though: He may not be permanent. If passion is lost over time, he becomes a simple businessman.

[...]