Mast Year Allocation
Cyclical resource strategy where massive investment (mast year: 80% to opportunity) alternates with recovery periods (10% to opportunity, 50% growth, 40% survival).
Cyclical resource strategy where massive investment (mast year: 80% to opportunity) alternates with recovery periods (10% to opportunity, 50% growth, 40% survival). Used when opportunities are episodic rather than continuous. Based on oak tree mast seeding biology where synchronized overproduction overwhelms predators but requires mandatory recovery years.
When to Use Mast Year Allocation
Use when facing cyclical market opportunities (holiday retail, product launches, capital market windows), not continuous growth environments. Apply when you can identify distinct mast year triggers (demand spikes, competitor funding announcements, media attention, pricing power, talent availability).
How to Apply
Identify Your Cycle Pattern
Determine if your market has mast years or continuous opportunity. Look for cyclical demand patterns, capital windows, or product launch cadences.
Questions to Ask
- Does demand spike periodically?
- Are there recognizable market windows?
- How long between opportunities?
Watch Trigger Indicators
Monitor 5 key signals: customer demand (pipeline volume), competitor activity (funding announcements), media attention (coverage level), pricing power (negotiation dynamics), talent availability (hiring ease)
Outputs
- Trigger dashboard
- Signal thresholds
Execute Mast Year Decision Algorithm
If 2+ triggers flip to mast year signal AND capital reserves ≥12 months runway AND team can scale 2-3×, execute 80/10/10 allocation. Otherwise maintain balanced allocation or force recovery.
Questions to Ask
- Are 2+ triggers positive?
- Do we have 12 months runway at mast year burn?
- Can team handle 2-3× scaling?
Force Recovery After Mast Year
After mast year execution (past 18 months), force recovery allocation (10/50/40) regardless of apparent opportunity. Continuous mast-year allocation leads to death.
Outputs
- Recovery timeline
- Reserve rebuilding targets