Did you know your associates have a subtle, yet profound, influence over your business growth? Your connections, friends, and acquaintances can inspire greatness, arouse big dreams, spark creativity, ignite resolve, and bring out your best. Conversely, they can invalidate ideas, undo plans, and quash ideas. They can be “yes and” or “yah but” people in your life.
Several years ago I made a commitment to participate in the Seattle-to-Portland Bike Classic (STP). The 200-mile bike ride is the largest multi-day bike ride in the Northwest. Having never cycled that distance, I wanted to be ready for the challenge. I read books, blogs and websites to prepare me for the ride. Honestly, the wealth of information was confusing! I wasn’t sure what plan or whose advice to follow…until a cycling coach came to my rescue.
Are you kidding me? I almost fell out of my rocking chair when I read Why Entrepreneurs Should Work On Their Days Off. Of course, it was posted at Under 30 CEO web site. Weren’t we all a bit more naive then? Take it from someone who has been an entrepreneur longer than under 30 CEO’s have been alive, working on your day off DOES NOT give you the competitive edge. (To my under 30 CEO colleagues: I’m not out of shape or out of touch. Many of my under 30 entrepreneurial clients engage us because we’re innovative, relevant, and forward thinking.)
As an entrepreneur, you’re overwhelmed, overcommitted, and overcome with all it takes to successfully grow your business. The notion of saying “yes” might sound counter-intuitive. Doesn’t that mean more of whatever you already have in your already crowded life? That’s what I thought, too….until I read an article in which entrepreneur, Derek Sivers, changed how he said ‘yes’.
One-thing entrepreneurs can agree on – it can be overwhelming to grow a business. As an entrepreneur, there’s a good chance that you’re the master craftsperson, sales manager, marketing director, administrative assistant, bookkeeper, and probably the janitor, too. In addition to the multiple roles you juggle, new information is coming at you at the speed of light. In fact, I recently read that information equivalent to the Library of Congress is re-created every 15 minutes.
Have you heard the saying “there is more than one way to skin a cat”? Coined by American humorist, Seba Smith, in The Money Diggers in 1840, it means there is more than one way of achieving an aim. How perfect for entrepreneurs and their aim to grow their business.
Entrepreneurs are notorious for believing that “if they build it, they will come.” Guess what? That only happens on movie sets and comic books. Don’t sabotage your networking efforts with any of these less-than-compelling behaviors.