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Every team has someone you call when a project starts going sideways. I call that person unblockable. They find a way forward while everyone else is still waiting on someone. In this episode I break down what unblockable people actually do and how I spot them when I’m hiring.
Key Takeaways and Insights:
1. What I Mean by “Unblockable”
- Unblockable people go looking for the answer instead of waiting for someone to hand it to them.
- When they hit an obstacle, they treat it as a chance to show what they can do.
- It’s the trait I value most in anyone on my team, and you’ll almost never see it on a resume.
2. Case Study: How Airbnb Refused to Quit
- Airbnb’s founders were getting turned down by investors and racking up debt.
- So they designed custom cereal boxes, sold them, and raised $30,000 to keep the company alive.
- That hustle is what eventually won investors over. A founder who finds a way beats a polished pitch.
3. What This Looks Like in Marketing
- If a white paper is underperforming, I’d rather see a marketer take the story to Reddit, where the audience already is, than keep pushing the same asset.
- Stuck waiting on a client approval? Go get it. Sometimes that means showing up at the client’s office.
- When a competitor is closing in, good enough won’t cut it. Unblockable people push the work further without being told to.
4. How I Spot Unblockable People When Hiring
- The candidates who stand out send a Loom with their own insights instead of a list of questions.
- They ship things nobody asked for. They build a tool or put something useful together before anyone prompts them.
- They test ideas on their own platforms first, so by the time they bring it to the team or a client, they already have proof.
5 Traps That Block Progress (And How to Avoid Them)
- The Permission Trap: Stop waiting on a yes that might never come. Give yourself and your team room to act.
- The Attribution Trap: Some of the most valuable marketing won’t show ROI right away. Play the long game anyway.
- The Expert Trap: A title doesn’t make someone right. If a VP’s experience is out of date and you believe in the idea, fight for it.
- The Algorithm Trap: Platforms will change. Keep distributing your story.
- The Room Trap: Your background doesn’t decide whether you belong. Effort is what gets you in the door.
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