Forget the Playbook: Why Founders Would Benefit from Improv

Thijn Lamers, co-founder of Noah and former Adyen founder, said entrepreneurship works best with obsession, improvisation, and a willingness to seize serendipity.

He urged founders to build relationships with top-level decision-makers and to create their own luck through preparation and timing.

Lamers said AI can automate routine tasks, but it cannot replace the trust built through human interaction and judgment.

The article argues that sales and founder relationship-building improve when rigid playbooks give way to improv, timing, and personal connection.