1. Stay On Your Mission No Matter How Long It Takes

Some will doubt that you know what you’re doing; others will question whether you should have gone down that particular path in the first place; still others will advise you to cut your losses and get out as fast as you can.  You must stay the course in spite of apparent circumstances or what others may be saying.

2. Doing is More Important than Telling

The soldiers in the Special Forces are doers.  You should spend 10% of your time talking about what you’re going to do and 90% of your time doing what you’re going to do.   There’s no need to broadcast your every move, either.  People either won’t understand or they’ll misunderstand what you’re doing.  Just keep doing what you know you should be doing.  Napoleon Hill wrote, “Tell the world what you intend to do, but first show it.”

3. Cooperation with Others is Paramount

The U.S. Special Forces will get most of the credit for taking down Bin Laden (and deservedly so), but the fact of the matter is they could NOT have accomplished their goal without the help of some local individuals.  It’s the nature of Special Forces.  What sets them apart from the run-of-the-mill, courageous, brave soldier who is willing to put their life on the line, is the fact that they’ve developed skills for interacting with others and soliciting their help in accomplishing the goal at hand.

Successful entrepreneurs inspire others to help them with their mission.

P.S.  Make a donation to the Veterans of Foreign Wars and get a free copy of my forthcoming book, “Business Jump School ®: 15 Drills You Must Master Before Starting Any Business”

http://www.BusinessJumpSchool.com/book

Until next time…Go Boldly! ™

Dino Herbert

Business JumpMaster ™

Entrepreneur/Speaker/Author

“Passionate about Helping People Reach Their Entrepreneurial Potential”

“I have them,” I said as I showed him the keys.

“We have to see them on the dashboard”, he says.

“I’m not going to start the car.”

“It’s our policy”, he droned.

“I’m not going to start the car”, I repeat.

“I have to insist…”

I then asked him to lower my hood because I was leaving.  It wasn’t so much that I was being a stubborn jacka**, as much as I didn’t want to give my business to a company that thought I was idiotic enough to turn on the ignition while the guy below had his hands in the engine.  I went down the street to one of their competitors.

Do you treat your clients as if they’re idiots?  Before you answer too quickly, check out the warning signs.

WARNING SIGN

Do you feel as if you need to “educate your clients”?  Because of your expertise and your thorough knowledge of your industry, do you feel that your potential clients are privileged to have you there to show them the light?  Have you ever felt as if your clients need you?

While some of these statements may occasionally seem to be true, entrepreneurs and business owners should never take their clients/customers for granted.

HOW TO AVOID THIS MINDSET

Remember you need them more than they need you

Think about it…customers are the life blood of your business.  Without them your business will cease to exist.  On the other hand, your client can probably survive (at least for a while) without your product or service.

Remember they always have options

You may think that you’re special (and you are), that your product/service is unique (it should be), but your client can always just go down the street to have their needs met.

Remember it’s a relationship, not just a transaction

The moment you forget this truth, you’re heading the wrong direction.  If you focus on building and maintaining relationships with your clients, you’re much less likely to take them for granted or to treat them like they’re idiots.

Until next time…Go Boldly! ^TM

Dino Herbert

The Business JumpMaster ^TM

Author of the forthcoming book: Business Jump School: 15 Drills You Must Master Before Starting Any Business

www.BusinessJumpSchool.com/book

photo courtesy of www.storybroads.com

Imagine a retail store that asks for the customer’s name as soon as the person walks in the front door.  Every ten minutes, in nearly clockwork fashion, the sales agent (using the person’s name) tells the customer about some great sale item in the store.  The customer listens politely, but isn’t annoyed at first.  When the customer has a question, however, the clerk doesn’t respond.  She continues on the regularly scheduled message about some great aspect of the store.  This DOES irritate the customer, especially when it becomes apparent that the clerk interacts with other customers….but only AFTER they’ve made a purchase!

What would you say about this store?

1. It has LOUSY customer service
2. It probably won’t be in business for long

Yet email marketing and social media have caused many businesses to operate exactly this way online.

Email marketing and social media have made businesses lazy, unresponsive and inconsiderate to their customers.  Having the convenience of collecting customer information and sending out preplanned messages automatically, doesn’t mean that  customers (and potential customers) should ever be neglected.

In the early days of your company’s life, ANY response to an email, blog post, Tweet or Facebook update was welcome.  These precious few folk were always acknowledged.  But after the brand became popular, it somehow became acceptable to neglect all but the most important of respondents – perhaps the frequent responders and definitely, the paying customers.

This should not be.

But you may be asking, what about Pareto’s Law?  Shouldn’t I focus my attention on the 20% who are providing 80% of my revenue?  Sure.

But if you neglect the 80% that’s providing the remaining 20% of your revenue, you can kiss that revenue goodbye!

Am I saying that you should respond to every “Atta Boy” and “You Go, Girl!”?  Yes, I am.

Am I saying acknowledge responses to your blog posts?  Yes, I am.

Am I saying respond to every individual email?  Yes, I am.  If your brand is so popular that you can’t do it personally, you need to dedicate a staff member to do it!

These are your customers – or they COULD be your customers.  Otherwise they probably wouldn’t have joined your list, followed you or “liked” your page.  So respond to them, provide great customer service to them….or you’ll probably lose them!

Until next time…Go Boldly!™

Dino Herbert                                                                                                                                                                                                        “Passionate about helping people reach their entrepreneurial potential”

Author of “Find Your Own Path to Success” and the forthcoming,

“Business Jump School: 15 Drills You Must Master Before Starting Any Business”

www.BusinessJumpSchool.com/book

www.dinoherbert.com

No, I’m not talking about Ted Williams who played for the Boston Red Sox, who was the last one to bat .400 in a season and who is firmly planted in the Major League Baseball Hall Of Fame.

I’m taking about Ted Williams who was a panhandler at interstate intersections, who admitted to having drug and alcohol issues, who was discovered by a local reporter in Columbus, Ohio for his amazing speaking voice and who has thrust into the limelight for his 15 minutes (at least) of fame.

I’m sure some people were “proud” of him for getting this break of a lifetime.  I’m also sure there are some people who are calling him “lucky” and wishing that their year had started off with such a wonderful bang!

But upon closer inspection, Ted taught us several things while we’re waiting to be “discovered” or to get our big break.

Lesson #1: Don’t allow circumstances to defeat you

Ted could have continued in a life of drugs and alcohol, but he chose to be more proactive.  He chose to at least take the action of asking for money from others instead of MERELY wallowing in self pity.  Regardless of any given circumstances, we have a choice in how we react to the situation.  We can choose to feel sorry for ourselves or we can do something about it.

Lesson #2: See your situation as a way out of your situation

Ted’s homelessness was actually the condition that led to his being discovered.  If he had not been a homeless guy with a great voice, he probably would never have been discovered.  His homelessness helped him make it out of homelessness.

There is something in your current condition that will provide the conditions, the motivation or the financial resources that will provide your way out.  So look for it.

Lesson #3: Put yourself in a location where you can be discovered

Instead of hanging out in a neighborhood or even on a downtown sidewalk, Ted chose to market his services at the busy intersection of a interstate highway.  Being in such a well-traveled location certainly contributed to the fact that he was found.

Who knows about your talents and gifts?  Who have you told about your career aspirations?  Are there many people who know that you are in business?  We need to shout it from the rooftops in order to be seen and heard.

Lesson #4: Continue to develop your craft

Ted didn’t just panhandle in the normal way.  He was willing to differentiate himself from the other panhandlers and to offer to provide a service in exchange for the change.  His cardboard sign mentioned his “god-given voice”, so that the givers would ask to hear him speak.  And that’s how he maintained that rich, baritone voice of his.

Regardless of your current vocation, how are you keeping in shape?  How are you staying sharp?  How are continuing to nurture and develop that skill that is unique to you which will be the reason you’re well know someday?

Lesson #5: Don’t give up until your opportunity comes!

Ted said that he’s been clean from drugs and alcohol for the last two years.  I assume he was struggling to make ends meet all of that time.  But he kept asking for donations and offering to say a few phrases until his big break came.

You also must be willing to work through your current circumstances, look for the positive in your current situation, put yourself where others can find you, and continue to develop your craft.  For how long?  Until the inevitable opportunity comes.  And it will.

What are you doing with what you’ve been given?

I hope you learned a lesson from Ted Williams, the homeless guy with the golden voice – I know I did!

Until next time…Go Boldly! ®

Dino Herbert

“Passionate about helping people reach their entrepreneurial potential”

http://www.dinoherbert.com

Author of the forthcoming

“Business Jump School:  15 Drills You Must Master Before Starting Any Business” (http://www.businessjumpschool.com/book)

Many of us will soon sit down and reflect on the year’s accomplishments.  For many, this ritual creates a never-ending cycle of anticipation and disappointment.  Some people perform this ritual religiously; others, such as myself, don’t write “new year’s resolutions”; some people, unfortunately, do not pause at all to consider where they’re headed or where they want to be in the next 12 months.  But whether written or not; whether conscience or not; it’s a time for reflection and planning.  It’s easy to feel like there’s a clean slate at the start of a new year.

Whatever they are, I’ve discovered the key to reaching next year’s goals.

THE KEY

I discovered it the other day on a morning walk.

My wife and I decided that we want our children to exercise every day.  So just before Thanksgiving, we started taking a morning walk together.  All of us.

The kids are young (4-1/2, 3 and 20 months) so it’s an adventure getting everyone ready, but it’s fun.  Instead of walking, the two boys insist on riding their bikes whenever possible.  We are confident that if we make this a habit, exercising will become a normal part of their lives that will probably continue when they are older.

So what does a morning walk have to do with reaching a new year’s goal?  Everything.

When crossing a street, I always tell my 3-year-old that there’s one thing he must do: go fast in order to make it up the ramp on the other side.  If he doesn’t speed up, he always gets stuck at the bottom of the ramp.

It’s easier to continue something than it is to start something.  As Newton’s first law of motion states: a body in motion tends to stay in motion; a body at rest tends to stay at rest.

So here’s the Key:  You must create momentum going into the new year.

In order to create momentum, you must start on your new year’s goal NOW, so that it becomes a habit.  Researchers don’t totally agree on how long it takes to form a habit, but we know it takes at least 21 days to do it.

USING THE KEY
So what should you be doing for the next 21 days?  In order to hit the ground running on January 2 (I assume you’re taking the 1st off), these are the things you must do.

Clarify Your Long Term Goals

While doing the daily grind, it’s easy to get off-track sometimes.  During the past year, you were faced with many obstacles that may have altered your intended course.  You may have been presented with unforeseen opportunities.  Over the course of this year, I’ve been presented with several  “great opportunities” that supposedly fit “my skill set”.  But I realized that every opportunity has a cost.  And I could not pursue certain opportunities and my goals at the same time.  Entrepreneurs may not want to admit it, but we can’t pursue everything at once.  Maybe the following year……

Verify whether the obstacles and opportunities of this past year pushed you off course.  Re-adjust accordingly.

Create good habits

Do you want to blog every day?  Do you want to exercise 3 times a week?  How many prospective clients do you want to call on every day?  Which days are dedicated to networking?  How much revenue do you want to generate on a monthly basis?

Identify the habits that you need to develop in order to reach your long term goals.

Create systems

In order to develop habits, you need to have systems in place to make those habits a “no-brainer”.  I used to work at an office where the gym was practically on my way home.  Working out on a regular basis was quite simple at that time.  I simply packed a bag every day and stopped on the way home.

You must create systems that allow you to develop your habits easily.  Create a list of prospects and clients you’ll call tomorrow.  Create this list the night before.  Determine the best day(s) to have face-to-face networking meetings and when someone suggests, “Let’s do lunch”, you’ll have a day dedicated to do so.  If this week is full, go to the following week.  Create a system to track your sales calls, who you met and when you followed up with them, etc.

Following these three steps will go a long way in helping you to meet your goals for next year.

Important:  Don’t just take the next 21 days to think and plan.  For the next 21 days, you must actually DO those things that you want to do next year.  The habit comes from the doing.  This is the key.

Warning:  The end of the year is the most difficult time to establish routines.  The “normal” schedule goes totally out the window for most people.  You can’t depend on your customers, clients or suppliers being available during the second half of December.

What other suggestions do you have to reach your goals for next year?

Until next time…Go Boldly!®

Dino Herbert

Author of the forthcoming, “Business Jump School: 15 Drills You Must Master Before Starting a Business.”

www.dinoherbert.com

Business Jump School is a training program that’s been incorporated into my book that will be available in January 2011.  It’s the understanding that entrepreneurs – whether starting their first business or their twenty-first – need a certain skill set to successfully navigate the world of business.  After all, it’s a jungle out there! Too many entrepreneurs are starting businesses unprepared.

This book is about the skills you need to personally possess in order to succeed as an entrepreneur.  It’s about who you need to be AND what you need to do in order to succeed.

These drills will allow you to become the person you need to be and actually start a business BEFORE you start your business.  To increase your odds of success, you MUST have some business experience prior to starting your business.  As you go through the book, you may say to yourself, “I could outsource that.  I don’t need to know that.”  You do so at your own peril.  Well, not your own peril, but certainly the peril of your young business.

Frankly, you need to know this stuff!  Every successful entrepreneur either mastered this information before starting the business or they learned it the hard way: while they were trying to grow their business.  But learning the “basics” while dealing with the chaos, uncertainty, disappointment and craziness of the early days is not the best way to do it.

The skills in this book need to be subconscious and instinctive when in the “heat of the battle”.  You’ll have more many more things to think about.  Make no mistake about it, these skills are needed throughout the life of your business; not just at the beginning.  You need to have these skills down cold when you are developing relationships with potential clients, when the money gets tight and when you’ve landed a “big fish”.

Let’s face it: business is tough!  There is no other way around it.
This book will keep you ready for whatever comes your way and allow you to experience the exhilaration of taking the leap!  We’ll touch on the two types of skills that will be learned in a future post.  We’ll address the the so-called “hard skills” as well as the “soft skills”.

P.S.  Go to www.businessjumpschool.com/book to find out how to get a free copy of the book.

Until next time…Go Boldly!

Dino Herbert

“Passionate about helping people reach their entrepreneurial potential”

This is one of my favorite quotes of all time and has been attributed to the French poet and playwright, Guillaume Apollinaire.  Sometimes the fear of the unknown can keep you from experiencing something greater.  Many people have the same attitude about being afraid to “come to the edge” about starting a business or getting married.  It turns out that these two are similar in a lot of ways.

One of the most often quoted statistics about starting a business is the fact that most small businesses fail.  In fact, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the survival rate for new firms is about 50% after 5 years.  In other words, one-half of new firms fail within 5 years.  This rate is similar across all states and all industries.  This is undisputed.  It’s “true”.

But what does that have to do with whether or not you start YOUR business?

Before you answer that question, let me ask you another one.

Are you married?  Are you considering getting married?  Do you think you will ever get married?

If you were told most marriages fail, how would that affect your decision?  According to the U.S. National Vital Statistics Reports – 2009, the divorce rate was exactly 50% of the marriage rate.  Does that percentage sound familiar?  And does it even matter?  Of course NOT!

If you’ve found the one you love, you don’t care about what other marriages have done or what other marriages are doing.  Your focus will be on YOUR marriage.  It should be the same with your business.  Don’t focus on how many other businesses have failed; focus on making your business successful in every way!

Some of the ways marriage and starting a business are similar:

YOU NEED PASSION

Of course passion is not the ONLY thing that you need, but it is a vital component!  Passion is usually the thing that gets the marriage/business started.  Some people say that “passion won’t pay the bills.”  But passion is the spark that runs the engine that drives the vehicle that takes you to the place where you can get the money…that WILL pay the bills.  You cannot do without passion for your business.  Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

COMMITMENT & DEDICATION IS REQUIRED

Starting a business may involve long hours of working on tasks with no apparent results.  Make no mistake, though.  This will be “good work”, if the passion is there from the beginning.  In order to see the results that you want, you will need to dedicate yourself fully to your business, its brand, its customers and its success.  The same applies to marriage.

EXPECT TOUGH TIMES

Anyone who tells you that they’ve never had a problem in their marriage is not telling you the truth.  Marriage is such an intimate relationship between two unique individuals that differences are bound to occur.  This just means that the two of you have something to work on…together.  Similarly, don’t get discouraged when your sales drop or a big client gets away or your employees misbehave.  It’s part of being in business.  Expect it.  Enjoy it!  Is that possible?

“FAILURE” IS NEVER FINAL

Suppose you are part of the 50% who has a “failed” business or marriage.  What does that mean?  Does that mean you are a failure?  Or does that mean you have some great information and feedback that will allow you to succeed the next time?  Use your previous experience to make your next one even better!  I’ve had a business fail before and I survived.  Now I am passionately encouraging others to take the leap into entrepreneurship.   I’ve have a marriage dissolve before and now I’m married to the “sweetest woman in the world.”  Not that my first wife wasn’t sweet….um…I fear that this post is getting a little too personal!  :^)

Until next time, Go Boldly! ®

Dino Herbert

http://www.dinoherbert.com

http://www.twitter.com/dinoherbert

http://www.facebook.com/dinoherbert

http://www.linkedin.com/dinoherbert

RESOURCES

U.S. Small Business Administration, Advocacy Small Business Statistics and Research

http://web.sba.gov/faqs/faqindex.cfm?areaID=24

National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 58, No. 25

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr58/nvsr58_25.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr58/nvsr58_25.pdf

Even in early childhood development, you learned by sorting and stacking blocks, growing plants from seeds, and playing with sand or at a water table.  In fact “authentic learning involves comprehension”, according to Rae Pica author of several books on active learning in children.

So what does this have to do with entrepreneurship, you may ask?  Everything, in my opinion.  I contend that you will never become a new or better entrepreneur by studying what others have done:  you have to actually DO SOMETHING!

Unless you actually do some market research to discover what customers are buying, you won’t know how to modify your business idea accordingly;

Not until you actually begin to do some marketing, will you know which campaign peaks your customers interest;

Unless you actually file your paperwork to establish your business, you won’t officially be in business;

Not until you ask for the business, get rejected, modify your sales pitch and ask again, will you learn how to become proficient in sales.

Not until you recognize the shifts in your market and actually adjust your product or service offering to the needs of your clientele, will you learn how to thrive during changing times.

But you MUST be willing to ACT!  Far too many individuals are only thinking about starting or expanding a business, but are so concerned about the economy or competition or finances that they fail to do anything and thus miss out on opportunities that can only be recognized through action.

Even the possibility of failure is not an excuse for inactivity.  A study was done on several entrepreneurs who initially “failed” at their first business.  But they learned to improve themselves as entrepreneurs by doing it again.  They learned by doing.

Of COURSE, you have to do some planning.  But the planning must be active; it must be written down and distributed to others.  Thinking about it is not enough.   You have to do it!

The Business Jump Master ® principles are based on action.  Entrepreneurs who experience success are those who have experience running a business-either their own previous business or running someone else’s.  There is no substitute for actual personal experience.  So if you don’t have experience in a certain aspect of your business, you must find a way to gain that experience.  Just go do it!

Until next time,

Geronimo!

Dino Herbert

www.dinoherbert.com

REFERENCES

Ekanem, I. and Wyer, P. (2007). A fresh start and the learning experience of ethnic minority entrepreneurs. International Journal of Consumer Studies 31(2), 144-151. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database.

Pica, R. (2008). Learning by leaps and bounds. YC: Young Children 63(6), 52-53. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

It was a warm sunny day last September.  I had decided in my fatherly wisdom a few months back that it was a good time for my 3-year-old son to learn how to play team sports.  (It seemed like a very good idea to me since he and his younger brother are forever jumping over couches and chairs, hanging on the banister and taking turns dumping out the clean laundry basket!

As we were preparing to go, it dawned on me that team sports is a great way to teach entrepreneurship to kids.  I know it’s a commonly used analogy, but that’s because it’s so appropriate.

Team Sport

Even though all of us – including the media- tend to focus on one lone, charismatic leader who has pulled himself up by his bootstraps and conquered the world of business, entrepreneurship REALLY is a team sport!  I have no doubt that Donald Trump, Robert Kiyosaki, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Johnson, Bill Gates and all other well known, celebrity entrepreneurs would tell us that they could not do without lots of help!  In fact, a mark of an entrepreneurial mind is one who recognizes this fact early and begins to utilize the talent, time and treasure of the other members of the team!

Common Goal

There is ONE reason that the team comes together and that is to WIN GAMES!  I know that some folk believe that little league teams (read “parents”) take the games too seriously sometimes, but I think this is the purpose of team competition: TO WIN!.  Now lest you think I’m one of those fathers who gets thrown out of games, I’m not.  I just think that are other avenues to team kids about sharing and exercise for its own sake.

In entrepreneurship, there must be a main goal, a main purpose, a reason for being.  And make no mistake about it: the main thing is not just about making a lot of money!  This is the so called BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal).  The company must exist to “change the world” in some respect.  Any Tom, Dick or Sally can turn a profit, right?

Winning the Small battles

In order to accomplish the main goal of winning games,  a kid must learn that his must overcome small individual battles in order to reach that milestone.  If the small battles cannot be won, there is no way the big goal can be accomplished.  So teach your kid to win the small battles and this will translate easily into a testing ground for entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurs, on a daily basis, must win the small battles of knowing what are the most important income-producing activities of the day.  Which existing clients should receive the most attention?  How much time should be spent on pursuing new business versus maintaining existing relationships?  The outcome of all of these small battles will determine whether the overall goal is reached.

Scuffed Knees

Some parents may find it hard to watch, but getting your knees scuffed is a part of team sports.  It’s hard to watch your son or daughter fall down time and time again, but it’s a part of the game! Even at 3 years old and even before participating in a team sport, one son had stitches and the other one broke his leg!

Entrepreneurs have to know that times will get rough.  But that’s all a part of the game!

Practice, Practice, Practice

There is a reason that the kids go to practice every week day, running sprints and laps, sometimes doing push ups and sit ups for what seems like hours at a time (I’m getting sore just thinking about those days)!  All of that effort and toil is meant to get the kids in shape so that they can be ready to encounter the inevitable resistance from the opposition.

Contrary to popular belief, successful entrepreneurs do not “take the leap” without doing serious preparation for their launch.  Market research, capital planning, strategic partnerships and identifying key personnel are all activities that get fully vetted prior to ‘running on the field’!

Another Tip

So I was already to leave the house when I noticed that my son was not dressed properly for his day at soccer practice.  You see, it was 80 degrees F outside and I (in my fatherly wisdom) knew that my son would need shorts and a T-shirt in order to play well.  But he had grabbed a thick sweat shirt and was heading toward the door.

“Son, I need you to go change into your soccer shirt.  It’s hot outside.”

“This IS my soccer shirt, Dad!”

“I don’t think so.”

“Yes, it is!  It has a number on it…it’s looks better when I’m running!”

That’s when I realized I had forgotten one of the most important things about entrepreneurship: MARKETING!

Want More Tips?

Go To the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur for 200 GREAT TIPS on HOW TO TEACH ENTREPRENEURSHIP TO KIDS:

You may be interested to know that my son decided that he wasn’t quite ready for team sports: he preferred to run around pursuing his own agenda of kicking and chasing the soccer ball to the four corners of the field rather than to participate in the coach’s drills!  Hey, that’s another trait of an entrepreneur…needing to go one’s own way!  I think there’s hope for my kid being a great entrepreneur!  I’m looking forward to it!

Until next time…Geronimo!

Dino

“Passionate about helping people reach their entrepreneurial potential”

• His dream was about Equality – He hoped that everyone would be considered equal as heralded in the U.S. Constitution.
• His dream was about Brotherhood -  He hoped that the oppressed could one day sit down together with the oppressor in a bond of unity.
• His dream was about Freedom and Justice - He envisioned the day when places known for injustice and servitude would some day become just the opposite.
• His dream was about being judged on merits, not outward appearances
• King said his dream was deeply rooted in the “American Dream”.

Dr. King had a very powerful dream.  So much so, that his dream lives on today, nearly 50 years later.  Of course, there are discussions (and disagreements) about whether or not the dream has been fulfilled; about whether equality has been achieved, whether brotherhood is a possibility, whether freedom and justice have been served.

I believe that this debate will most likely never be settled.  I personally believe that the valleys will never be completely raised, the hills and mountains will never completely be made low, the rough places will never be made totally smooth, nor will the crooked path be made completely straight.

But you know what….THAT’S THE LIFE OF AN ENTREPRENEUR!

The question is this…Is your entrepreneurial dream big enough to see you through those tough times?

Entrepreneurship can help bring about equality because revenue and profits are, in some respects, the great equalizer.  There are very few people who will turn down your money because you are a different race, color, ethnicity, etc.  And conversely if you are truly bringing value to the marketplace, you will have many buyers of your products and services.

Furthermore, the prospect of increasing market share and revenues has caused more than one entrepreneur to sit down in the spirit of brotherhood with the competition to create joint ventures of all sorts! The phrase  “Co-opetition” was coined a few years ago to describe this phenomenon.

I also realize that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was promoting “jobs and freedom” on the day he stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, but “freedom” is more closely aligned with “entrepreneurship” than with “jobs”.  You have to do what others tell you to do when on the job, while entrepreneurship allows self expression and the freedom to dream big!

SO HOW BIG IS YOUR DREAM?

Michael Gerber, the great ‘professor’ of entrepreneurship and author of the E-Myth series, wrote another book titled, Awakening the Entrepreneur Within: How Ordinary People Can Create Extraordinary Companies.  According to Mr. Gerber one of the main traits of an entrepreneur is that of “The Dreamer”.  We must have a dream that “moves us, consumes us” and “keeps us awake at night”.

The other book that comes to mind is Wintley Phipps’ book, THE POWER OF A DREAM The Inspiring Story of a Young Man’s Audacious Faith, where he talks about his unlikely journey from his childhood growing up in Trinidad to singing before presidents and heads of foreign governments.

You see, being and becoming an entrepreneur is not just about finances.  Not if you’re going to have any fun at it, any way!  Not if it’s going to feel almost like play time instead of work time.  It’s about creating something greater than yourself.  It’s about achieving a purpose for your life.  The money is just a byproduct of what you’re going to create!

As Phipps sang in his song:

“That’s the power of a dream!  So much power in your dream.  Can you feel it?  Can you feel it?”

Until next time…Geronimo!

Dino

P.S.

I haven’t forgotten about my discussion of Entrepreneurship & Emerging Leadership .  We’ll pick it up next time!