Who Before How
Find someone who has solved the problem before solving it alone
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 98%
Instead of beginning a difficult problem with 'How do I solve this?', the method begins with 'Who has already faced this?' The shift changes the first action from solitary analysis to locating relevant experience. That person may be a mentor, consultant, coach, specialist, partner, or trusted connector. Counsel is gathered before substantial work begins, then adapted to the actual situation. Pereira argues that the cost of capable advisors is often a fraction of the cost of learning through avoidable mistakes. The method is especially useful when the issue falls outside the operator's strongest skill set or when another person can complement it directly.
Origin
Pereira attributed the question to mentor Sharran Srivatsaa and illustrated it with development and mortgage decisions. Extracted from Coffeez for Closers.
Core principles
- 01Relevant experience shortens the path to a solution
- 02Problems do not need to be solved in isolation
- 03Expert help can cost less than avoidable mistakes
How to run it
- 1
Name the problem
State the decision or obstacle precisely enough to identify relevant experience.
Pro tip Separate the result needed from your current idea of how to achieve it.
Watch out A vague problem attracts vague advice.
- 2
Ask who has solved it
Look for a person who has already handled the same class of problem successfully.
Pro tip Consider mentors, consultants, partners, specialists, and connectors.
Watch out Fame is not a substitute for relevant experience.
- 3
Get counsel first
Speak with the qualified person before investing heavily in your own solution path.
Pro tip Bring the facts and constraints needed for specific advice.
Watch out Seeking help after an avoidable commitment loses much of the benefit.
- 4
Apply the expertise
Translate the counsel into a decision, introduction, or division of responsibilities suited to the problem.
Pro tip Partner where complementary strengths matter more than advice alone.
Watch out Do not outsource responsibility for the final decision.
In the wild
When Pereira wanted to put a home he had developed into fixed-rate debt, he contacted Joe Shalaby rather than trying to design the complex mortgage himself. Shalaby connected him with the right mortgage broker on his team.
→ They developed a mortgage strategy through the appropriate specialist.
Shalaby described bringing in Sam Hijazin when growth and compliance exceeded what he could handle alone. Shalaby focused on one part of the business while his partner handled another.
→ Shalaby said the partnership helped the business expand rapidly.
Common mistakes
Starting with solitary execution
Working deeply on the how before finding experienced help can lock in an inferior path.
Choosing status over relevance
An impressive advisor without direct experience may not be the right who for the problem.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for important problems where relevant expertise exists outside the current team.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal when the problem is trivial or no credible experienced person is available.
From the transcript
“what you pay for in consultants and mentors and coaches is a fraction of what it'll cost you for trying to go it alone”
“who has already faced this problem or who can I call to help me get counsel before I even start to work on the problem…”
From the episode
Real Estate Excellence ft. Visionary Robert Pereira
Visionary Robert Pereira