The Art of Entrepreneurship
Many of you own your own business. It seems to be the trend these days. To make sure you develop a successful business venture, you need to stay focused and understand your company's structure and significance. There are a few things you must consider to help increase the effectiveness of your company to assure continued positive growth.
Entrepreneurs understand that if something needs to be accomplished, you have to take ownership to move ahead. That doesn't necessarily mean you have to do everything yourself but as your company grows, you hire people who share your values and dreams and develop a corporate environment of "ownership." My staff doesn't wait for someone to tell them to do things. They know the corporate direction and make the important decisions that get things done. Self-motivation is a trait that is a requirement in an entrepreneurial environment to assure positive corporate growth.
I have always been an extremely directed person. I must move forward in every aspect of my life, professional and personal. If I'm not developing a new plan I feel like I'm moving backward and accomplishing nothing. Successful entrepreneurs shouldn't wait for someone else to teach them or invest in their business plan. They must be more interested in methods of reaching their potential, no matter how long it takes, or what it may cost.
I'm sure you often hear someone at work say "I'm so busy!" That's all well and good but I think it's better to be productive. Productivity builds profitability by staying focused on the task. Setting deadlines force you and your staff to make the necessary decisions to successfully complete the job. The creation of targets and timelines allows you to gauge your progress and insure that you do it right the first time. If you're schedule looks like mine, you've probably noticed that you just don't have the time to do a task over again.
And, most importantly, I don't set many limits or accept negatives when it comes to growing the business. If something can't be accomplished in one manner, I know there must be another plan that will work. Think of it. Thomas Edison literally tested thousands and thousands of materials to use for the filament of his light bulb until he succeeded. He never gave up. You can bet he never worked 8 to 5, but was extremely dedicated to the task. He had no limits. If one plan didn't work, he went on to the next until he finally found one that worked.
Just 18 months ago, my company had fewer than 20 employees and a fairly informal structure. We knew where we wanted to go and my motivated staff tested some unknown waters, not unlike Edison's strategy, that continue to help us attain some very definite goals today. We now have nearly 100 employees and we expect to double that number by this time next year.
We have developed, marketed and are currently selling unique financial software products that are generating interest at the international level. We have created an incredibly successful nationally distributed magazine that is praised by the best in the business and I have a best selling book, which is now in its second printing. The company has also produced a popular syndicated national radio program, televised marketing tools and we are accepting invitations to demonstrate our products and tell our story to interested investors from San Francisco, to New York, Hong Kong and Paris.
If you do it right, things happen. Professionals who understand the art of entrepreneurship and increase their business skills, behaviors and attitudes will be the ones who garner the most corporate rewards. My company is proof that a positive attitude of dedicated ownership can really help your business grow to unimaginable heights.
Originally published in the Outspoken e-newsletter.