relationships solve a great many business challenges, providing owners get out of their own way

Entrepreneurs Can’t Get Out Of Their Own Way

I hinted back in a recent blog post called ‘Communication with Chicks’ about wealth profiles.

The way you think and engage is pivotal to your success across a wide number of business and personal areas.

This is increasingly more important for entrepreneurs than ever before. I was checking out a LinkedIn Group ‘I am an Entrepreneur’ that I’m a member of, where one of the group topics was around what’s the first thing or most important aspect of starting your business if you’re deadly serious in getting it off the ground.

Hence this post.

woman entrepreneurs using laptop

Start-Ups & Entrepreneurs

Having been involved in a number of start-ups myself, the real awakening for all the Creator types is not what a wonderfully powerful and world-changing product they have – they usually end up saying:

Crap! I haven’t the faintest idea of what I’m doing, how to create the team around me to support me and get this product to market to make the world a better place and make loads of revenue along the way!!!

 

Understanding Yourself

Without really (and I mean really!!!) understanding your own shortcoming in the business and team building world, your fantastic invention or product opportunity is sunk before you begin. It’s around understanding that you need people who are passionate about you and your journey, letting go of your ego to control everything, giving up part of your stake in the business so others are also rewarded, and having a constant and persistent vision of where you’re going with your team.

That’s it in a nutshell.

As I also posted about in ‘Dangers on Social Media Business Marketing’, your business needs rock-solid foundational relationships. If you’re the type of startup owner who is constantly thinking of more and more product ideas, chances are you’re one of those Creator profile types. That’s such a wonderful gift. The unfortunate part of that is you’re unlikely to also be good and establishing long-term relationships. Again, this is where your team members come in, providing you haven’t already surrounded yourself with other Creators.

I, myself am a Supporter profile – team and relationship ninjas and we totally get the importance and value that professional and personal interaction brings.

As in a recent project I was involved with, the Creator type (or business owner) often sees a Supporter’s tenacity for establishing powerful human connections as threatening to the Creator’s hold over the business and business direction.

This really falls into the realm of ‘You don’t know what you don’t know and this can sometimes be the curtain-call for the business. The owner simply can’t get out of their own way so the business can flourish and propel to greater heights, using the help of the very people positioned to do the task.

 

Example Time

I was with WebCentral for 9 years. It was a startup ISP operating out of a garage. The 3 owners had distinctly different and complementary profiles and let each other get on with their passion and use their skill-sets. They sold out as a multi-million dollar business and WebCentral continues to be Australia’s largest web-hosting business.

Other start-ups I’ve been involved with saw the business owners retain final decisions and control of everything until it was far too late for anyone to help them. Their shortsightedness on teamwork, vision, relationships, and communication saw their potential crumble into nothingness.

 

Your Turn Now

What’s one thing you think could improve a business owners’ outlook?

Entrepreneurs Can't Get Out Of Their Own Way 1

Enjoying newly found freedoms in South-East Asia, Martin is a down to earth, honest, quirky humor, compassionate and upfront kinda guy. Easy going and love to laugh. Into good food, wine and great company. I’ll talk and try to help anyone.
Drop me a message and let’s start there, OK?

Martin Cooney – who has written posts on GeekandJock.


7 thoughts on “Entrepreneurs Can’t Get Out Of Their Own Way”
  1. "Without really (and I mean really!!!) understanding your own shortcoming in the business and team building world, your fantastic invention or product opportunity is sunk before you begin"

    You nailed it right there IMHO!! No matter how good your idea is, if you don't have the systems in place you will ultimately crash and burn. This I have learnt the hard way!!!

    I am great at idea's, taking action and for want of a better word… Getting @$%^ happening, but I am terrible at details and finishing things off!! So I am now building a team around me that has those skills that I lack.

    I have crashed and burned before, and there is no way will I go down that track again.

    Cheers Beanie

  2. Totally and absolutely agree Martin.
    The key for me is from the below sentence and the particular words: people who are passionate about you and your journey

    It’s around understanding that you need people who are passionate about you and your journey, letting go of your ego to control everything, giving up part of your stake in the business so others are also rewarded and having a constant and persistent vision of where you’re going with your team.

    When a person such as myself is sitting on golden eggs of opportunity, however that opportunity "appears" to be at right angles to what most people "deem" to be normal, it is an interesting equation in attracting people who are passionate about you, your journey and move forward accordingly.

    So in essence, like everything in life there are poles of polarity, there are also many people "out there" who are willing to build a team to work together to bring the nuts and bolts of a vision together.
    Tetka

    1. The world is filled with people with similar values and vision, just like you. Others will see those right angles too and be just as willing to travel along with you.

      These people are to be respected for placing trust in you and wanting to be that team. They'll also need to see security in areas such as vision, process and compensation too.

      Cool you enjoyed the post, Tetka – thank you so much for commenting.

    2. Tetka,
      I understand what you're saying here.
      The moment I understood what I really needed (and to use Martin's wording of REALLY needed), I simply asked those around me that I knew were already on my journey. It was a simple matter of getting out of my own way and stepping towards those I knew I trusted already.
      Paying them for their efforts always works too. Thinking you can't pay them and they will do it for love is simply an insult. To both yourself and to them.

      My advice, Tetka, for what it's worth, look around you at the people you really do trust and ask them as well as factor appropriate compensation. You'll be surprised how easy it is.

  3. Ahem, well, yeah, OK, I'll guilty as sin for this – not only once but it took me 2 failed businesses before my silly brain woke up to the fact I was a plain stupid in not trusting my people to look after me.

    Boy, I wish you were in Seattle, Martin. I'd have you on my Advisor Team in a heartbeat. I can plainly see your ability to cut through all the crap, call it like it is and get the job done, despite me probably wanting to get in the way.

    Another great post which I wish I had read years ago. Thanks my friend

    1. that's funny, Gary – you win but I lost in a previous business in exactly the same stupid way. And yeah, if I had Martin in my area, I'd beat you to it and snap him up myself :)

      People who start businesses simply don't see the forest for the trees, do they. It's an ever repeating failure til it gets beaten out of them. Pick the right people and the right people will pick up the pieces that you miss! Learnt the lesson real bad myself and learnt from it.

      Great blog post, guys!

      1. Thanks so much, Gary and Mitch for your openness in telling all :)
        I think it's far more widespread than people actually realise – you don't know what you don't know. Very apt, as you say Mitch. Most owners don't even know they're sabotaging their very own success and that's a great pity for them as well as the economy.

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