Rethinking Entrepreneurship

For many it may be fear, or a case of sitting on their hands. They may in fact be the "King of inaction" or perhaps, they have read the war stories and know that the game of entrepreneurship is not for them.

Being an entrepreneur has many highs. The fact that you decide what you do, when you do it and how you do it, is a freedom many of our employee counterparts are unable to experience as freely as we may have. We live and die by the sword. If we choose to see our ideas through, they can be hugely successful, or massive failures, but the successes keep us alive for the next round.

Money comes with hard work, strong ethics, a good product or service and marketing. It's also good to have a sound financial team behind you, ensuring that you are always well-funded and capable of paying your bills, as well as putting some away for a rainy day.

The adrenelin from having an idea and seeing it through is better than any drug (I imagine). It makes you come alive, become excited like a small child and believe in what you are doing and your own capabilities. The reason so many people stay in the game even though there are obstacles is remembering that feeling, and always having a glass half full.

The downside of entrepreneurship is unfortunately people. Never your clients. Always the people you employ. You can invest in empowering them, training them, developing them and creating a positive workforce, only to find that they are dealing with their own demons and there really is nothing you can do to help them. From drug addictions, alcoholism and mental health issues, along with an inflated sense of entitlement, some people are just not meant for your workplace and can be a danger to your business.

When you are brought up right, with good manners and a respectful nature, everything is within your stride. When you have baggage, and issues that may not always be for everyone to see, it is a different kettle of fish.

Rethinking entrepreneurship and how you navigate a bumpy road is difficult. It is not for the faint-hearted nor for those who don't believe in change. You have to adapt constantly, always engage with your people and get rid of the dead fish fast knowing that they probably already know that they are dead fish, but know that there is a game they can play where they feel like they will always come out winning.

More so than ever, we have show compassion and have compassion. Two very different things. Always think about what the other person on the other side of the table is going through. What is it that is holding them back and do they want to be anything more than they are today. Perhaps learning and developing isn't their thing. Maybe their ride in life is just to get by, but if you have an entrepreneurial company, people like that rarely fit. They bring your culture down. 

When I am rethinking entrepreneurship, I am thinking about life. How does entrepreneurship fit into my life, and does it define me. Am I an entrepreneur first, or a friend, sister and daughter? I would like to think the latter however the reality is that I spend more hours working then I do with friends and family. Looking at ways to do things smarter and more efficiently always helps, and deciding on whether you want to be a big company in size, or revenue, or a company that gives you the best of every world.

Food for thought.