This is a series of articles about the realities of being your own boss. Hopefully, this column serves as 50% inspiration, 50% how-to, and in the words of the late great Yogi Berra, 50% realism.
I want to encourage the next generation of believers – people willing to give their blood, sweat, and tears to change the world. I want to inspire them to be better than their best, to think bigger than they have ever thought, and to be more deeply committed to our community than any of us could ever imagine.
Every week, I will provide insight gained through 40 years of entrepreneurship. Topics will include dealing with employees, the mechanics of setting up a company, understanding when to pivot, knowing when to be stubborn, and so many more. Some articles will be short, and some more involved. Some will be enlightening and others terrifying. You will learn valuable lessons from them all.
I also want to hear from you: your business plans (the short version) and how you intend to shape the future. I will embrace those plans and then tear them to shreds, pointing out where you face unsurmountable challenges while risking the loss of everything you love. I will show you how those plans will ruin your relationships. I will also provide some guidance on how to succeed, how to avoid some pitfalls, and how to minimize the risk of your children’s college fund and your marriage.
People are always scared of others finding out their business plans and ideas, but plans are cheap. Every bum has a million ideas (dreams) for how to get rich. Over time, I have given away or thrown away more great ideas than I can count, not because they are bad ideas, but because the issue is never “the idea.” Execution is key. There are always exceptions, but >99.999% of the time, the idea is worthless without the grit to execute it. Value comes from building something, from putting in the literal blood, sweat, and tears that it takes to create something from nothing.
Steve Jobs said, “A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.” In my mind, this is the true artistry of entrepreneurship. Most people can only describe what they want in terms of other things they have seen. Entrepreneurs need a clear vision (and thick skin). That vision may be so alien that everyone tells them it is the worst idea they have ever heard … until they see the result.
In the coming weeks, I will explore some critical concepts related to the entrepreneurship and stories from people in our community using those concepts to improve the world. We will have some frank conversations about the opportunities and catastrophes – how they are different and how they are similar. Buckle up, Sunshine. It’s about to get real.
The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the views of SuperTalk Mississippi Media.
