Tech layoffs have been top of mind for many and a topic of conversation with my founder and investor friends this week. Anytime anyone loses their job as part of a big layoff, it’s distressing. I recognize the real pain of anyone in this situation and sympathize with them. Also, though, I’m a big believer in playing the hand you’ve been dealt instead of dwelling on the hand you didn’t get. I try to look at situations that don’t seem great on the surface and think about nonobvious silver linings.

One unintended positive from these layoffs is the creativity they’ll spur. When people have ample resources, they have less incentive to be creative. If you’ve got the budget for a project, you can spend your way to completing it. When resources are scarce, people get creative. When you don’t have the budget, you start thinking of scrappy ways to check the box at minimal or no cost.  

I think the layoffs will lead to more people solving problems in creative ways and those solutions turning into companies. Said differently, layoffs will lead to more entrepreneurship.

If you find yourself unexpectedly short on resources, don’t give up . . . keep going, and embrace creative ways to accomplish your goal. Creativity could lead to something life changing.