You’re confusing strategy with tactics, and it’s slowing your startup’s growth. It’s a common pitfall, but making the distinction is critical for building something that lasts.

Strategy is your overarching plan—the “what” and “why” behind your goals. It’s the high-level map that guides your entire journey.

Tactics, on the other hand, are the specific actions you take to execute that plan. They are the “how” and “when”—the individual steps and turns you take along the way.

Understanding The Difference

The easiest way to separate the two is to look at the scale of the decision. Strategic choices are foundational and have long-term consequences, while tactical decisions are about execution and can be adjusted more easily.

Here are a few examples of strategic decisions that set the company’s direction:

• Diversifying revenue streams to ensure long-term stability.
• Choosing the right business model (e.g., SaaS, marketplace, direct-to-consumer).
• Defining and committing to a specific target customer.
• Shifting your brand perception in the market.
• Deciding whether to raise venture capital.

And here are some corresponding tactical decisions focused on executing the strategy:

• Building unique landing pages for each customer vertical.
• Launching a new product or feature.
• Choosing which social media platforms to build a presence on.
• Determining how often to send marketing newsletters.
• Deciding which office space to lease for your team.

The One Question

If you’re ever unsure, ask yourself this simple but powerful question: “If this fails, does my entire business have to change direction?”

The answer provides a clear litmus test. If the answer is yes, the decision is strategic. If the answer is no, it’s tactical.

A failed marketing campaign is a tactical setback; a failed business model is a strategic catastrophe. The problem is that most founders spend the majority of their time on tactics and call it strategy, mistaking motion for progress.

Conclusion

To ensure you’re focused on what truly matters, your strategy must provide clear answers to three core questions.

This framework separates the high-level vision from the day-to-day execution.

1. What are we building? (Your Product Strategy)
2. Who are we building it for? (Your Market Strategy)
3. How do we win? (Your Competitive Strategy)

Everything else is just execution.

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