Posted by In the past few weeks, there have been countless discussions around being an Entrepreneur. It may have to do with the recession or it may have to do with the new realities of the new economy – more and more Digital Nomads working remotely or foregoing the infrastructure of a formal company and going at it solo.
One glance over the standard Twitter feed and you’ll find that there is a growing group of individuals who are either thinking about striking out on their own or are in the midst of being their own boss. What is the trick? What do you have to know about being an Entrepreneur? Is it is easy? Is it hard? I’ve been an Entrepreneur for a while. I started out as one, took a break and worked at a number of companies and then hopped back into the world of self-employment almost eight years ago. On my journey, there were two books that really stood out:
How The Best Get Better came with two audio CDs that changed the way I saw things. Sullivan talks about what it really means to be an Entrepreneur:
It’s that moment in time where an individual realizes that they can’t rely on anyone else but themselves for their own professional and financial outcome.
What might read like a very basic and simple thought is not. Most people go through their lives depending and relying on others for their professional and financial outcome. What makes this concept ever-more powerful is that it applies to those who are employees in every sort of company as well: the more entrepreneurial you are, the more you strive for perfection and the more you dedicate your time to your trade, the more independence you are creating for yourself. The more indispensible you’re making yourself… the closer you get to writing your own ticket. It’s not just about those who go at it alone, it’s also about the Entrepreneurs Within.
It’s the best piece of business advice I ever received. It’s the best piece of business advice I could ever give.
It’s also directly applies to New Media. You don’t need permission to speak to a greater audience. All of these platforms (Blogs, Podcasts, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and on) empower you (for free) to share your thoughts, to build a community and to grow professionally. It’s not just about publishing what you want just because you can (which is a very valuable concept in it’s own right), it’s about publishing what you want because you want to grow professionally and expand your horizons.
What’s the best piece of business advice you ever got?
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Follow your passion, the money will follow.
The moment for me was the very first time I said NO to a client. I have been working for myself since 1999 and had feared turning away business, not agreeing to do every little (unrealistic) request for a client, and accepting less money than I was worth for the job I was doing.
The first time I said NO I realized that I was truly my own boss and controlled what work i did and on what terms.
Best advice I have for new small business owners, consultants, serial entrepreneurs, independent contractors. If it ain’t in writing, it means squat. Trust your gut. If it walks like a duck, smells like a duck and quacks like a duck… chances are pretty good, it’s a duck. Build relationships. Don’t be afraid to ask for the business. Follow-up like a mad-man or woman. Stay connected. Keep your spirit aligned with your actions. Do what you say your going to do and do it. Keep your word and be respectful.
Your message totally resonates with me right now. Thanks for sharing that.
I 2nd that.
The best bit of business advice I ever received:
My late father (who had been in sales in his youth and ran his own businesses in his later years) used to say “Don’t fall for the joke.” It was his way of saying watch for the catch. People will always sell you the sizzle, but ask if you can see the steak before signing on the dotted line.
The best advice I’ve got came from my father: If you do what you beleive in you will have fun. If you have fun people will follow. If people follow you will make money. 😉
“A good scare is worth more to a man than good advice” And how very true!
Quoted from Edgar Watson Howe
“90+% of the people I know hate their jobs. If you can make a living doing something you enjoy, do it for that reason. You’ll be ahead of the 90%.”
And I second the recommendation for E-Myth by Michael Gerber. Great book for thinking about how a business accomplishes tactical things, how to delegate and how to think about your role in your business.
“Be Undeniably Good” – Steve Martin.
I’m all about simple, clear, concise messages. They’re more memorable and can be more effective. These short three words are the key to success in my opinion and take it from Comedian, Actor, Writer, Banjo-Player, Steve Martin… if you’re “Undeniably Good”, no one will deny you success.
Also agree with E-Myth, not everyone who can bake a pie should open a Pie Shop.
I went to see a publisher to ask his advice for launching a weekly newspaper.
He answered with a question:
“What’s the first thing you need?”
Easy one: “Money.”
“No.
You need readers.
If you have readers, you’ll find the money.”
Thats’ it.
That was 25 years ago. The man was Jean Paré, co-founder, publisher and editor in chief of Québec newsmagazine l’actualité.
Nothing has changed.
Look at Youtube, facebook, Twitter. Lots of people are asking “What is the business model?”. It’s very simple: “If you have readers, you’ll find the money.”
The best piece of business advice I’ve ever received is the old adage: “Be nice to people on your way up because you meet them on your way down.”
You never know whether the small, seemingly insignificant business contact you saw fit to ignore yesterday will suddenly get a job tomorrow with the company you’re dying to work with. People move around all the time, and people talk to each other. And you can always be hot today, not tomorrow. Burn bridges at your own risk.
Money in, Money out – make sure the former always exceeds the latter. Be kind, not naive. Relax.
Watch the cashflow, always. Look through your customers’ eyes. Be aware your costs are quite predictable and manageable. Future revenue is at best a guess.
”We want a teaspoon of planning and an ocean of execution”…Ross Perot
I agree with Bobby, follow your passion. If you are passionate about what you do, you will be able to handle setbacks and develop new strategies to make sure that you succeed.