Macro Vision, Micro Tests
Hold the long-term strategy steady while testing the details quickly
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 98%
Macro Vision, Micro Tests separates enduring strategic intent from flexible execution. First, define the destination and the parameters that protect it, such as the customer served, desired portfolio synergies, growth path, and timeline. Then convert uncertain assumptions into small, inexpensive tests rather than elaborate plans. Each test produces evidence that either strengthens the current direction or suggests an adjustment in tactics. The macro vision acts as the alignment filter: partnerships, advisory roles, products, and experiments must move the business toward that destination. The micro layer keeps the company current and adaptive by allowing methods, services, and relationships to change without abandoning the larger ambition. Progress comes from increasing the speed of learning, not from forcing every test to succeed.
Origin
Extracted from The Jasmine Star Show, where Gary Vaynerchuk described holding to strategy in the macro while changing his mind in the micros, and Jasmine Star translated the idea into a rapid-testing practice for her holding company.
Core principles
- 01Stay committed to the destination without romanticizing the route
- 02Use small tests to replace assumptions with evidence
- 03Treat every test as a lesson rather than a verdict
- 04Reject opportunities that do not advance the macro vision
- 05Move quickly enough to apply lessons while they remain useful
How to run it
- 1
Define the macro destination
State the durable outcome the business is trying to create. Make it specific enough to guide decisions without prescribing every tactic.
Pro tip Describe the customer, strategic advantage, and portfolio outcome in one short statement.
Watch out A vague aspiration cannot reliably filter opportunities.
- 2
Set alignment parameters
List the criteria every opportunity must meet, including goals, ambitions, growth path, timeline, and customer fit. Treat these parameters as hard gates.
Pro tip Turn each parameter into a yes-or-no screening question.
Watch out Do not weaken the criteria merely because an opportunity is flattering or lucrative.
- 3
Select a micro assumption
Identify one uncertain belief that can be tested without committing the whole business. Keep the scope small enough to generate evidence quickly.
Pro tip Test the riskiest important assumption first.
Watch out Avoid bundling several assumptions into one test because the result will be difficult to interpret.
- 4
Run the test scrappily
Execute the smallest credible version of the test and establish what evidence you will observe. Favor speed and learning over polish.
Pro tip Set a short deadline before preparation expands to fill the available time.
Watch out Scrappy does not mean careless about customers, ethics, or irreversible risks.
- 5
Extract the lesson
Review what happened and record what the evidence changes. A failed test is useful when it eliminates a bad path or improves the next attempt.
Pro tip Separate what the result says from how you feel about it.
Watch out Do not redefine success after seeing the outcome.
- 6
Point the next move toward the macro
Use the lesson to choose the next test, modify the tactic, or close the opportunity. Confirm that the resulting action still advances the macro destination.
Pro tip Ask explicitly, “Does this point to the macro?”
Watch out Repeated activity without macro alignment creates motion rather than progress.
In the wild
Jasmine began as an advisor to Member Up and met monthly with CEO Amy Sangster. The role let her observe Sangster's execution, vision, follow-through, and willingness to learn before increasing her commitment. Once the evidence showed that the company supported the holding company's wider portfolio vision, Jasmine became an equity partner.
→ A limited advisory test developed into an aligned equity partnership with potential synergies across portfolio companies.
A founder considering an investment first checks whether the company serves the holding company's target customer and complements existing businesses. Rather than buying immediately, the founder runs a short advisory engagement, tests cross-referrals, and reviews customer response before deciding whether to invest.
→ The founder gathers real compatibility evidence while limiting capital and strategic risk.
Common mistakes
Overproducing the test
Excessive planning makes an experiment slow, expensive, and emotionally difficult to abandon. Build only enough to obtain credible evidence.
Testing without a strategic filter
A fast experiment is still wasteful when its success would not advance the macro vision. Screen the opportunity before testing it.
Demanding that every test work
Treating an unsuccessful result as failure encourages distorted metrics and cautious experiments. The required output is a useful lesson, not validation of the original idea.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for founders navigating uncertainty while building toward a clear long-term company vision.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal when a decision is irreversible, heavily regulated, or too dangerous for a scrappy test.
From the transcript
“I'm very good at being wide open and changing my mind in micros, but holding to a strategy in macro”
“Do it! Scrappy. Do it quick. The faster you get results is, the faster you get to make the changes that you need to move…”
“Every test is a lesson.”
From the episode
What It Takes to Build a Skyscraper Business with Gary Vaynerchuck