Schrodinger’s Cat and the Entrepreneur

Austrian physicist Erwin Schrodinger proposed a thought experiment in 1935 to discuss the paradox of the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics. Any non-physicist fans of the TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory, is likely also familiar with the paradox known as Schrodinger’s Cat. Schrodinger’s theoretical experiment places a living cat in a steel box with a radioactive trigger and a vial of poison. If the radioactive substance decays, the trigger will break the vial of poison killing the cat. If the radioactive substance does not decay, the cat remains alive. The paradox comes in the not knowing. Since there is a 50-50 chance of the trigger decaying, without opening the box, one will not know if the cat is dead or alive. Since we don’t know, and in fact cannot know the state of the cat without opening the box, the cat is said to be both alive and dead. In quantum mechanics, this state is called a superposition.

On the TV show, Sheldon suggests that Leonard and Penny’s proposed date is like Schrodinger’s Cat. Only by looking in the box, or in their case actually going on the date, will they know how the date will turn out and what affect if will have on their friendship.

Living in a space town like Huntsville, Alabama, with all its rocket scientists (both Redneck and not), us mere mortals often feel like Penny; it’s all just a bunch of jibber jabber. I think that’s why I like the show so much. I know lots of real life Sheldon’s and Leonard’s. I’m trying to get them to think about target markets and business models and they can’t quit talking about delta Vs and burn rates. So what do Schrodinger and Sheldon have to do with small business?

After all the planning is done, and the models made, and analysis documented, someone has to open the box. That is, at some point you just have to launch the business and see if it lives or dies. You can poke and prod and analyze a business model to death, but that doesn’t get it started. Many hopeful entrepreneurs struggle with the decision of when is the right time to open the box. By not opening the box, your business can live and thrive gloriously in theoretical bliss. You can’t fail if you don’t open the box. On the other hand, you also can’t succeed. A paradox some would-be entrepreneurs find just too daunting.

In Schrodinger’s subatomic world of quantum mechanics, single particles have been observed in two different states at the same time. That is, his cat is both alive and dead. That fact poses some difficult questions in the observable world of dates with Penny and start-up businesses. The only way to know is to open the box.