Though I highly recommend you read the book from beginning to end – THE BASIC IDEA BEHIND THE BOOK is that you can open it at any of the four sections and use it. Active entrepreneurs who are happy with their product or service offering and seek growth can go straight to Stage 3: Market. People exploring their life, their current business or place of employment should start at Stage 1: Grounding.
Regardless of where you start, it’s important to understand where we’re looking to go. To the exit.
An A-Game business is one that has moved from a state of fundamental reliance on its founder and owner – you – to one that can operate independently. Whether you choose to leave the business, stay in it, or sell the whole thing for a profit, the goal must be the same – to establish a business that is dependent on business processes and systems, not specific individuals. In other words, a business that runs itself; one that takes on a life and role in society beyond the existence of its founder.
My view is simple. An A-Game business is defined by the ability of the founder to exit the operation. If there is never an opportunity to leave the business standing on its own, in good health, the operation has never truly reached A-Game status.
We’re heading for the exit. And that’s the way it should be.
THIS QUESTION LIVES IN MY HEAD. I have yet to choose a side. I have taken a general position, however, in the writing of this book. My position is this: Some people may have certain personality traits that prompt them to start a business, generally from nothing but an idea and hard work. But these traits don’t necessarily mean that they will become successful entrepreneurs in the long run. Personality traits such as an appetite for risk, or a tendency towards self-motivation, help in certain contexts, but I don’t like the idea that people without these innate characteristics cannot become successful entrepreneurs.
Many successful businesspeople don’t fit the clichéd profile of what we think an entrepreneur should be. Many of them had one job for decades, worked for the same company, were never willing to take risks (whether those risks involved looking for other work or improving skills and expertise). Then, one day, the person is fired, retrenched, or is simply no longer able to work in the way they always have. Driven by little more than necessity (or desperation), they learn about starting their own businesses, and succeed at running them and, often, achieving the Holy Grail – sustainable growth. The same applies to people who’ve never seen the inside of a business before, who wake up one day driven to find a way – any way – of earning an income. This income is often earned via a small, informal business that grows into a successful enterprise.
Clearly, entrepreneurship can be learned. In fact, backed by a compelling reason and the right personal drive and attitude, anyone can learn to become a successful entrepreneur. In the same way that a born salesperson can become a great manager, or a soccer player can become a successful coach, a layperson can be taught about business, entrepreneurship, finance and leading people.
Entrepreneurship is not about whether you have the type of personality that likes taking risks. Rather, successful entrepreneurship comes from doing the right thing at the right time. Sometimes, this happens by accident. Sometimes it doesn’t. Natural talent, in my view, doesn’t factor into the equation nearly as much as we like to think it does. Forget about your appetite for risk, your creative ability, your tendency to be an introvert or an extrovert. The ultimate success of your journey as an entrepreneur is determined by process, not by whether you were ‘born’ an entrepreneur.
NEVER FORGET YOUR SOUL
WORK CAN BRING GREAT JOY AND FULFILMENT TO YOUR LIFE. The journey you travel,
through the worlds of work and business, will be one of the greatest adventures of your life, whether you like it or not.
You can view your work as significant or insignificant. This sounds glib, but in fact many people choose to view their work as having no personal meaning beyond earning money. However, if you decide to see your work as an important part of who you are, as an individual, this choice can change your understanding of your place in the world. If you decide that you will actively involve your personal and spiritual self – the parts we so often choose to keep out of ‘earning money’ – you can deliver great benefits to your soul – that part of yourself that seeks meaning and fulfilment.
You’ve been blessed with an ability to create prosperity – to create work for yourself and for others. Don’t make the mistake of forgetting, or ignoring, the soulful aspect of business. Instead of shoving your dreams and ambitions to the back of your mind, why not bring them right to the front of your awareness? You might be surprised at what happens when you are brave enough to ask yourself questions such as “Am I happy doing this?” and “What is the meaning for me?”. We’ll explore this in detail later in the book.
SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS UNDERSTAND the technical and management functions of business. They can anticipate and deal with threats and challenges. They are also able to lead. They have developed the ability to take control when necessary, to execute with precision, and to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.
That sounds like quite a job spec. It fits right into the myth of the CEO
as superhero. So, let’s burst the mythical bubble immediately.
The vast majority of us aren’t born with the skills I’ve just listed. People develop these skills through education, by accessing the right information at the right time, and by applying what they know and assessing the results (good or bad) of that application. Simply put, businesspeople develop experience.
We all know the statistic: on average, it takes entrepreneurs more than two failures to eventually ‘make it’ in business. You are that average. I am that average. We are all the average. It’s routine, practical experience that eventually pushes us beyond this zone, not any genetic ability.
Ok, wait.
We’re going to start with a cliché, so it’s important to give it the scrutiny that all good clichés deserve.
This is all about you.
Not the job.
Not the skills.
Not the customer. You.
You are the defining force of your business life, which is handy because you’re also the aspect of business that it will be easiest for you to control, to adjust and to adapt.
The first step in the A-Game method is to spend a healthy amount of time thinking about yourself. Not in a dreamy, abstract way, but according to a method.
By following a structured process of self-exploration, you can direct your efforts toward your natural strengths, and maximize the potential benefits of your investment of time, energy and money.
Welcome to Stage 1: Grounding…
