It is interesting that you chose the "He (Federer, Jordan, Ronaldo, Hank Aaron, etc.) makes it look so easy" analogy because you generally know if he's making i

It is interesting that you chose the "He (Federer, Jordan, Ronaldo, Hank Aaron, etc.) makes it look so easy" analogy because you generally know if he's making it look easy during games/matches, it's only because he's practiced it a million times before. I would argue that he can make that shot or that swing so effortlessly when it matters most because he's practiced it so many times more so than because of natural talent or anything else. We tend to focus on how naturally talented he is because hard work is unglamorous, but talent really just gets you to that level of competition - from there, it's mostly just focus, hard work, determination, and of course some lucky bounces that separate the 10-time champions from the draft-day busts. Sure, a startup can't quite practice shots the same way those guys can, but notice that it's usually the same startups that you hear pulling off these amazing hacks/hustles that are also crushing every feature/product launch, are always in the press, etc. Reminds me of that Nike ad campaign showing players making their amazing, signature plays not under bright lights but alone at dawn over and over: "There are no cinderellas."