The 5 C’s of Entrepreneurship part 3 – Collaboration.
It was not that long ago when I still believed, like so many men that if things had to be done right, it was up to me and me alone to get it done. No one else could possibly know what I needed done and it was too much hassle to try explaining it to them. And even if I could, they would stuff it up; so alone I traveled, doing everything myself. Guess what, it all came tumbling down around me.
As entrepreneurs we cannot afford to work alone. It is only through the power of collaboration and leverage that our ideas and businesses will flourish. We instill a habit in our clients of not to do the things they cannot do. To carry around a Do Not Do list is as important as the To Do list. Whenever you do something that you do not do well, it just makes you look stupid and incompetent. So why do it? Learning to build a team through collaboration, allowing others to do what they do well and finding your sweet spot is essential to the progress of both you and your business.
Take time today to list the things you do that either you are not competent at or that make you emotionally unhappy and find others to do these tasks. You will be amazed at how others just love to do the things on this list, for them it is their sweet spot. When you light another candle with yours, it does not make your flame half the size, it just makes the room twice as bright.
The 5 C’s of Entrepreneurship part 2 – Convergence.
Not being prepared for an opportunity as a business owner has to be one of the major sins of entrepreneurship. Yet every time I go to a networking meeting or conference I find people who have not got business cards, flyers or even their contact detail on them. When asked to introduce themselves they Basically ummm and ahhh their way through a bunch of made up facts that tell us nothing more than this guy is just not prepared and not able to promote his business at all.
Other people I chat to who are looking for opportunities seem to have this sit back and wait philosophy. They want to wait for something to come along and present itself to their office door. As if the approved tender is being hand delivered to them even when they did not bother to put in an application. The same goes for people looking for jobs, each week I chat to a group of people who insist that just reading the day old Cape Times job column will be enough to secure employment.
Convergence of opportunity is a short time based window that comes and goes and often never repeats itself. Becoming and being a successful entrepreneur is being able to appear always on always ready for any opportunity that may present itself, no matter how short this window remains open. Always have at least 3 elevator pitches rehearsed and ready to go. Always carry business cards or brochures. Have your web and social media sites ready and waiting with auto responders and active landing pages. Your cell and land line answering messages should encourage dialogue and represent you and your brand when you do not answer. Opportunity is lost when not prepared overrides convergence. Where are you?
The 5c’s of Entrepreneurship part 1 – Convenience.
Frustration amongst the general population is fast becoming a way of life and almost expected reaction to most phone calls queues or dealings with large organizations. For the small business owner is begun to be the largest blockage of doing business and scenes of head butting desks and phone slamming is just a normal part of the day. But frustration can be turned around and used as a source of a business idea and a way to profit. The opposite of Frustration is something most people will pay dearly for: Convenience. The convenience of not having to put up with delays, traffic, queues, filling in forms, waiting in endless waiting rooms and then there is the whole food and cooking thing. As an entrepreneur we need to embrace other people frustration and pause long enough to ask how this could be turned into convenience and converted into a business for profit. The people I know will often pay dearly to have their problems removed out from their lives. No I am not speaking about some cloak and dagger hit man, just simple services and products that add value to everyday life that will make my journey through life a little less frustration and a little more pleasant. So next time you see someone having a bad day, pause a little and start a new business, it just could be the beginning of your retirement plan.
Bruce ties a new Knot.
This past weekend saw Bruce Wade, Coach and Owner at the Entrepreneur Incubator get married to Adri.
Bruce’s belief in moving on with plans and surging forward despite the circumstances apply in both business and love. This is evident in how the relationship with Adri started 2 years ago and has flourished into marriage. Focus, effort and dedicated time is key for new venture to work. It is however important to maintain balance in the focus to ensure an even distribution of effort at the right time for the right people is maintained.
Bruce is off on a 2 week break and will be back at the helm again in June, with some promising new projects and ideas for the second half of 2014.
