In an era where AI can rapidly build product prototypes for validation, the most important skill is insight into real needs.
I have a habit of lingering in Eslite Bookstore, slowly browsing. For a period of time, I went almost every day and spent two hours wandering the aisles, casually flipping through books on all kinds of topics.
During one of these “bookstore explorations,” I stumbled upon Danny Warshay’s “See, Solve, Scale.” The cover design wasn’t particularly eye-catching, but as soon as I opened it, I was immediately drawn in by the content. Warshay is a professor at Brown University, which has a unique position among the Ivy League—there is no business school, and the institution is known for its liberal arts education, emphasizing the humanities and history, seemingly far from the business world.
Paradoxically, it was in such a general-education-focused environment that a renowned entrepreneurship course emerged. It attracted both humanities and STEM students, produced hundreds of entrepreneurs, and generated billions of dollars in value.
This contradiction captivated me. I found a seat at Eslite and read the entire book in one sitting. As someone with an engineering background, I was especially curious: without traditional business training, what kind of thinking framework could lead to such remarkable entrepreneurial outcomes?
Three Counterintuitive Definitions of Entrepreneurship
Warshay offers three definitions of entrepreneurship that appear simple but are deeply insightful:
- Entrepreneurship is about solving problems
- Entrepreneurship disregards currently controlled resources
- Entrepreneurship is a structured process
The second point particularly resonated with me. The author argues that those with abundant resources may become fearful of losing them, acting timidly, or making foolish choices because of their perceived safety net. This reminded me of my own experience—constraints often spark more creativity.
This is true in my work as well—when facing technical challenges, constraints force us to seek more elegant and inventive solutions.
The Structured Process: See → Solve → Scale
What impressed me most is how Warshay breaks down the seemingly chaotic process of entrepreneurship into three clear steps:
See: Identify Unmet Needs
The book uses Airbnb as an example. In 2007, two designers in San Francisco noticed that travelers struggled to find affordable and transparent lodging, while many hosts had spare rooms that went unused.
They were able to discover this opportunity because they used a bottom-up interview approach to uncover real needs. This reminded me of the problem decomposition mindset in programming—a complex problem may look unsolvable at the highest level, but if you decompose it into smaller problems, and then keep decomposing until you can no longer do so, you’re left with simple problems. Solve them one by one and recombine, and the complex problem becomes solvable.
I use this thinking pattern all the time at work. When facing any seemingly impossible technical challenge, the first step is always decomposition—identify the core problem, map dependencies, then tackle them one by one.
Solve: Define Your Value Proposition and Iterate
After confirming their goal of connecting hosts and travelers, the two designers began to build the website step by step, iterating the requirements—enabling hosts to easily upload listings, photos, prices, and availability, and to accept bookings and payments through the platform.
This process mirrors agile development in software projects. In any project, we start with the minimum viable version and then iterate based on test results.
The key isn’t writing perfect code at the start—it’s quickly validating assumptions, discovering issues, and continuously improving.
Scale: Build a Sustainable Model
Airbnb evolved from a simple home-sharing platform to a presence in major cities worldwide, expanding from lodging to personalized adventure experiences.
This stage tests systems thinking—how to standardize and scale validated solutions while preserving the core value.
Deeper Reflection: Innovation Under Constraints
My biggest takeaway from the book is a renewed understanding of constraints.
Looking back at my career, the projects I’m most proud of were often completed under limited resources—without ample time, without the latest tech stack, without an ideal team structure. Warshay’s view helped me realize that these “lacks” can be catalysts for innovation.
Constraints force us to focus on core value rather than technical perfection; small teams keep us agile and able to adjust quickly; time pressure compels us to think deeply about the real problem instead of blindly stacking features.
Resonance Between Coding and Entrepreneurship
As an engineer-turned-product-designer, I find striking parallels between coding and entrepreneurship:
- Problem decomposition: break complex problems into solvable parts
- Iterative development: a cycle of prototyping, testing, and improving
- Systems thinking: consider how components work together
- Optimization under constraints: find the best solution with limited resources
Entrepreneurial thinking adds another dimension: insight into real needs. Technology solves the “how,” while entrepreneurship solves “for whom” and “why.”
Rethinking the Engineering Mindset
This book made me re-examine my engineering mindset. Writing code and starting a company are surprisingly similar—they’re both about solving problems and finding optimal solutions within constraints.
More importantly, it prompted me to:
- Deeply understand the problem: don’t rush to code; first clarify the real problem
- Focus on core value: avoid flashy features; focus on what matters most
- Embrace iterative optimization: accept imperfection, but keep improving
Conclusion: From Solving Problems to Creating Value
“See, Solve, Scale” is not only an entrepreneurship guide—it’s a methodology of thinking. It tells us that whether we’re writing code, designing systems, or founding companies, the essence is the same: identify real needs, design feasible solutions, and create lasting value.
As the book says, even without a financial background or prestigious degrees, we can turn unsolved problems into breakthrough successes. The key is whether we have a structured way of thinking and whether we’re willing to deeply understand the essence of problems.
For me, this book didn’t just change how I view entrepreneurship—it also helped me re-examine the essence of being an engineer. We’re not just writing code; we’re creating solutions that help people work more effectively and overcome challenges.
This realization gives me a deeper appreciation for technical work and even greater motivation to pursue it.
This book now sits on my desk. I occasionally flip through its chapters and always find something new. Perhaps next time I wander through Eslite, I’ll discover another book that reshapes my thinking.
