Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it’s the only one you have. That quote, often attributed to French philosopher Émile Chartier, rings especially true for entrepreneurs. When people are confronted with a business problem—or really any kind of problem—the natural response is to search for “the answer.” As if there is just one. It is as if there is a single golden key that unlocks every door.
But real innovators know that asking “What is the answer?” can actually be a trap. Creative minds reframe the question entirely. Instead of seeking a singular solution, they ask, “What are all the possible answers?” This mindset shift, from looking for certainty to exploring options, is the foundation of creative problem-solving and long-term success.
Take entrepreneurship, for instance. Rarely does the first business model you sketch out end up being the one that works best. That’s why I often recommend that my clients use the Business Model Canvas—a strategic management tool that visually maps out the key components of a business idea. It forces you to think about your value propositions, customer segments, revenue streams, key partners, and more, all in one glance.
The beauty of the canvas is that it allows you to compare multiple ideas side by side. What if we used a subscription model instead of one-off sales? What if we targeted small businesses instead of consumers? What if we outsourced instead of hiring full-time? When you document your assumptions and test them, you build optionality into your thinking.
Too often, we anchor to the first viable solution we see. Psychologists call this “cognitive tunneling”—the tendency to fixate on a single idea to the exclusion of all others. It can feel safe, but it’s risky. Many failed ventures are built on a single untested assumption that no one challenged.
Even if you think you’ve found the right answer, it’s worth asking: What’s the second answer? What else might work, perhaps even better?
Dig deeper. Could there be a low-cost, high-impact version of your idea? Could someone else deliver the service more efficiently while you focus on sales? Could bundling or tiered pricing improve your profitability?
The Business Model Canvas isn’t just for startups—it’s for anyone solving a business problem. Whether you’re trying to enter a new market, refine a pricing strategy, or reinvent a legacy business, it can reveal opportunities that a single-solution mindset would never uncover.
So the next time you’re confident you’ve landed on the answer, pause. Ask yourself, “What’s the second answer?” Because the odds are that there is one—and it might be the better one.
What is the second answer to the business problem that you’re seeking to solve?
