When you have so much uncertainty in your projects, relationships and dealmaking, the fear of loss or desire for perfection can be inhibiting. I find it best to create optionality. Pick the path with the most options and keeping your choices open. This is especially true when it comes to creating opportunities. Choose projects thatContinue reading “Optionality”
Category Archives: Entrepreneurship
You Only Have to be Right Once
Most things don’t work out. And that is the raw reality of business and entrepreneurship. All those people who were excited and did not call you back are just part of the flow of dealmaking. All those promising projects that did not materialize or play out could have been affected by factors outside your control.Continue reading “You Only Have to be Right Once”
Get Your Business Out of Your Head and Into a System
When your business is you, operating it is a cinch. How you do things is simply in your head. You can develop and rely on your habits to get customers and deliver your service. Make calls with your friendly approach, send a proposal the way you are used to, and work the projects with yourContinue reading “Get Your Business Out of Your Head and Into a System”
Start and Grow a Low Risk Business
I heard from a friend that their big corporation just laid off hundreds of people. It could be from mismanagement, market downturns or simply another industrial age company ending their cash cow ride. It’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. If people don’t want what you offer, then your business is going toContinue reading “Start and Grow a Low Risk Business”
Find Businesses That Already Have Demand
It’s far easier to meet demand than create demand. I have been in businesses that are innovative and the proof of concept, go-to-market strategy and target customer all have to be identified. This approach takes a lot of commitment to discovery and gathering feedback. You have to see what sticks and makes sense to aContinue reading “Find Businesses That Already Have Demand”
How to Create Content that People Care About
I have a lot of resources on my site from many years of helping people in concrete, real-life ways. Check out the most recent resource on creating content that is valuable to people. At the end of the day, you either truly contribute and help people in specific ways, or are simply in the way,Continue reading “How to Create Content that People Care About”
Finding a Job That Fits You
Here’s a hard conversation to have. The reality of intelligence, stress tolerance and competence and how you fit in certain roles has an immense and real bearing on your success. Great to listen to and what your belief system might be compared to reality, as Peterson talks about the political narratives which are both wrong,Continue reading “Finding a Job That Fits You”
Why You Need a Knowledge Base
When you are small, you can run and grow your business in your head. In the early days, it’s hard to think that you play many different roles because you do different jobs yourself. You can be the salesperson, accountant, marketer, product development manager, HR administrator and many other roles without calling these out asContinue reading “Why You Need a Knowledge Base”
Design for Quick Feedback
“Everyone has a plan ’till they get punched in the mouth” – Mike Tyson The great thing about business is that you can test ideas quickly to see if what you think or want to do is valuable. Small tests done quickly to get feedback from customers will go a long way towards pursuing orContinue reading “Design for Quick Feedback”
The Egg of Columbus
Yes, you could have done that after you have seen it done. We get that benefit today watching how people put together solutions by benchmarking what others do first. The Egg of Columbus story where Columbus challenges his mocking critics to make an egg stand on its end highlights the perception of others’ success. If youContinue reading “The Egg of Columbus”
