Book SummaryThe Unfair Advantage, by Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The Unfair Advantage

Why do some startups skyrocket to success and others fail? Better ideas? More money? Good timing? According to entrepreneurs Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba, all of those may be true. In The Unfair Advantage, Ali and Kubba explain that founders of successful startups exploit their unfair advantages, the qualities or conditions that give them an edge over competitors. There are many types of unfair advantages, and everyone has at least one, according to the authors. To achieve startup success, you just need to find and use your unfair advantages to fuel business growth.

Drawing on over 20 years of experience building startups...

The Unfair Advantage Summary The Mindset You Must Adopt to Achieve Startup Success

According to Ali and Kubba, the key to entrepreneurial success is leveraging your unfair advantages, the qualities or conditions that give you an edge over competitors. For example, you might have a lot of charisma, which allows you to easily influence others. Or you might have specialized technical knowledge that allows you to design innovative, time-saving software solutions.

(Shortform note: Ali and Kubba label these professional assets as “unfair advantages,” but Malcolm Gladwell would argue that these assets aren't necessarily “unfair” at all—in some cases, they aren't even “advantages.” In David and Goliath, Gladwell makes the case that the same advantages that give people power and success are often their greatest weaknesses. For example, in 1917, Lawrence of Arabia was able to defeat the much larger Turkish army in part because the Turks’ numerous troops and supplies hindered their mobility.)

But before we discuss how to find and use your unfair advantages, we need to examine the mindset Ali and Kubba say you...

The Unfair Advantage Summary How to Identify Your Unfair Advantages

Now that you know how to nurture a mindset that’ll keep you motivated throughout your entrepreneurial journey, it’s time to explore how to identify your unfair advantages. As Ali and Kubba assert, when you leverage your unfair advantages, you’ll be able to build momentum faster and achieve profitability earlier as you grow your business.

In this section, we’ll review five main categories of unfair advantages: valuable assets, knowledge and education, location and timing, interpersonal skills, and prestige and social connections. We’ll explain what each category includes and consider the possible benefits and shortcomings of each. We’ll also discuss how you can assess whether you have an unfair advantage and provide steps you can take to develop weak areas.

Unfair Advantage #1: Valuable Assets

According to Ali and Kubba, valuable assets include money and anything that you can exchange for money, such as property, investments, or jewelry. If you have enough money to finance the initial launch of your startup and the first several months of operations—without having to struggle to pay for housing, food, and other life essentials—it’s a huge unfair advantage. Also,...

The Unfair Advantage Summary Essential Steps to Build a Successful Startup

By now, you know how to identify your unfair advantages and take action to strengthen your weak areas. As we’ve discussed, you must proactively apply these unfair advantages—in combination with hard work and a resilient mindset—to launch and sustain a successful startup. In the final section, we’ll cover the advice Ali and Kubba give to further increase your likelihood of achieving startup success, which includes three main topics: choosing the right type of startup, identifying a viable business idea, and building a winning team.

Choose the Right Type of Startup

According to Ali and Kubba, there are two main types of startups. Let’s review the features and goals of each and explore how to choose the right type based on your unfair advantages.

Niche Startups

First, niche startups (what the authors call “lifestyle startups”) are local small businesses that provide founders with a sustainable income. Some have physical locations while others are online. Niche startups generally provide services or products that target a relatively small customer base, and are thus hard to scale. Examples include a specialty tea shop, a virtual dance academy, an auto repair...

Shortform Exercise: How Viable Is Your Business Idea?

Ali and Kubba say a good business idea solves a problem that you’re passionate about and matches your unfair advantages.

Briefly describe one business idea you’ve been considering. What problem does it solve? Who’s your target audience?