Entrepreneurs Innovation Addiction

Travis Rodgers

Innovation and technology addiction has become a pervasive, often unrecognized issue among start-up entrepreneurs. On June 24th, 2024, I took a step that would alter my addictive relationship with innovation—I shut down my software company and its servers.

A surprising wave of emotions hit me as I powered down the servers hosting the software I had dedicated over two decades to building. It was one of the few times in business that I have been deeply emotional. I reflected on the past 15 years: the intense investment, the joy of seeing ideas come to life, the stress, and the hard-won profits. The 8 million patient records, 9 million appointments, and 137 million clinical notes we have in our database. As the hosting datal also felt a sense of release as I finally decided to leave the relentless treadmill of technological evolution behind, for now.

One of the waves of emotion I felt was a sense of pride. We had done some amazing things. We had helped hundreds of clients and made more money than we had invested. The final wave of emotion was a feeling of calm. I was ok with our decision to shut down the server. We had caught some fantastic waves, we had helped, and we had provided. In the end, we got pulled under by a large wave of newer innovators. One was an integration competitor that raised over $100M for a similar product. We chose one path, they chose another path, and although they didn’t “follow the DPMS rules” like we did, their API never got blocked. Another competitor who sold their company to a large implant company then failed and killed the referral software segment.

When I flipped the off switch to our servers, it felt like I was 15 years old again and had lost my cat Tigger after 10 years together.

That was a very tough moment, and it hurt deeply. I mourned for a while but then I had to quickly realize that life and bills still go on, and so must we. I learned that the worst thing anyone can do is play the victim or blame others. I could have blamed the big practice management companies that overpriced their integrations, took away my lead developer, and never blocked those who weren’t following their rules. I could have blamed my investors, who told me not to sell when I had an offer to buy the company. I could have blamed a few employees who stole from me, developers who built poor products, and other factors, but I didn’t, and who cares anyway. The most liberating feeling is when you take full responsibility for yourself and your business. There are no victims in the world of being an entrepreneur. There are only lessons to be passed to the next generation of innovators and helping them succeed to even greater heights.

For years, I had seen innovation as a force to ride with, but over time, I realized it could also feel like being swept up in a series of powerful waves. The excitement of the first swell quickly shifts to exhaustion as the waves keep coming, giving you barely any time to breathe before the next one crashes down. In choosing to step away from the non-stop demands of running my software company, I was choosing not only to change or pause my career but also to re-evaluate my relationship with innovation. Since that day, I’ve been fortunate to consult with over 15 companies formally, host many start-up pitches, and guide many entrepreneurs facing similar dilemmas—each wrestling with the unique but often isolating challenges of entrepreneurial life.

The journey of the bootstrapped, underfunded entrepreneur is a paradox, full of exhilarating and crushing lows. After years of feeling the toll that innovation addiction can take, I’m convinced that for many start-up founders, the rush to innovate has become more than a passion. It’s become a form of dependency, one that can jeopardize not only their business but also their mental health, finances, and relationships. I know that feeling firsthand.

RECOGNIZING THE ALLURE—AND TRAP—OF INNOVATION

Let me be clear: I am not suggesting that start-up entrepreneurs avoid building software or driving innovation. Everyone should be an entrepreneur. I grew up in Silicon Valley in the 80’s. I have seen from the outside and the inside, the unparalleled satisfaction in seeing your own product reach customers, making a tangible difference in people’s lives. Creation, especially in the software world, is rewarding and lucrative. Yet, there’s a critical difference between motivated growth and compulsive growth. Too many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of relentless feature-building and product expansion, driven by the pressure to keep up with rapid industry changes or to outperform competitors. Without setting limits, the line between a productive drive and a consuming innovation addiction becomes dangerously thin.

A recent encounter with an entrepreneur who is a client of my Dental Venture Capital 90-day program perfectly illustrated this. He was passionate and deeply committed to his business idea, but he was now reaching a crisis point. We had met three years prior when he was at phase 01 (see illustration below). But now, despite pouring everything into it, including his retirement savings, he was nearly broke. He had only two months’ funds in the bank to support his wife and two kids. He was deeply in debt from his business. He only had 20 customers to show for his efforts. We had a candid conversation about the toll his dedication had taken, and I shared my own story—not to discourage him but to offer guidance on approaching growth in a more measured, sustainable way. I advised him to slow down, to step back, and to reassess his path with a fresh perspective. He started building his software because he was a consultant in his domain and saw a need; let’s go back to that.

The Importance Of Building A Roadmap And Setting Boundaries

Before launching a company, entrepreneurs must build a clear roadmap. They need to know what they’re building, who they’re working with, and—perhaps most importantly—set realistic boundaries around financial and time investments. Without these guardrails, the pressure to constantly innovate can create a destructive cycle that’s hard to break. He took my advice and shifted most of his focus from solely chasing product innovation to establishing himself as a thought leader and well-known consultant in his field. Consulting, I told him, would allow him to build a reputation, generate immediate income, and most importantly, understand his customer’s needs better. This insight would make his product more vital and aligned with market demand.

STRATEGIES FOR HEALTHY INNOVATION: BALANCE, BOUNDARIES, AND REFLECTION

Through my experience advising many start-up founders, one thing has become clear: healthy entrepreneurship is about setting limits and balancing ambition with well-being. For those passionate about innovation, it’s essential to create a clear plan, bring the right team on board, and set realistic expectations from the outset. Without a framework for managing innovation’s addictive and alluring pull, entrepreneurs risk sacrificing not only their financial stability, but their emotional well-being, relationships, and sense of self.

One of the best ways for entrepreneurs to avoid falling into the trap of technology addiction is to periodically evaluate their relationship with innovation. Are they creating something that genuinely serves their customers, or are they building to satisfy their need to keep pushing boundaries? Do they have a plan that incorporates a realistic vision of growth, or are they simply following the industry’s unspoken demand for “the next big thing”? By asking these questions regularly, entrepreneurs can maintain a healthy distance from technology’s hold and stay grounded in their purpose.

The journey of building a business will always involve challenges, risks, and uncertainties. But by setting boundaries, creating a structured roadmap, and periodically reassessing one’s relationship with the desire to innovate, entrepreneurs can build a business that doesn’t just achieve success but does so sustainably. Ultimately, innovation should serve our lives, not consume them. And sometimes, stepping back and redefining our goals is the most courageous and innovative act of all.

Travis Rodgers hosts a monthly online dental startup company pitch event through his Dental Venture Capital program where he works with startups, investors, and advisors. He specializes in technology, strategy, fundraising, and go-to-market strategies for dental startup companies. His client work includes: Fractional President of DentaFlo and Fractional (90-day) VP of Business Development for PracticeOrbit, Effex Dental, DentTracks, and SleepBrace.