When offered the chance to donate to the
Acumen Fund in exchange for getting an
advanced copy of Seth Godin’s book,
Linchpin, I jumped at the chance.

In true practice-what-you-preach form,
Godin sent several emails after my
donation letting me know the status
of my book shipment.  When I received
the book, there was a letter included
from Godin which shocked me by
commencing, “The scariest words an
author can write are, ‘here’s my new
book.’”  I thought, Seth Godin…scared?  Cool.
I was hooked from the start.  Even after I realized that what I was reading was the table of contents.  I devoured the book in a day and a half.  Then I went back to re-read and take notes.  It’s THAT profound.

I’ve written a letter to you and to everyone in response to this book.

Dear Everyone I’ve Ever Cared About or Ever Will,

Have you ever wondered why you were put on this earth?  Even in passing?  Questioned whether you were making the most of your potential?  I have.  I do.

Because I see the genius in you that sometimes you forget to acknowledge, I have a recommendation for you.  It’s a book called Linchpin by Seth Godin.  Out the 26^th of January, just 6 days from now.  Get it.  Read it.  Read it again.  My hope is that it will inspire and educate you as it has me.

I won’t attempt to do Godin’s concepts justice by summarizing them here.  But know this.  The world needs your unique talents and your voice now more than ever.  You’re hard-wired to resist this “risky” contribution to society but you have the choice to overcome this resistance.  To deliver on your own greatness.  To dream big.  Draw your own map.  Whether you’re self-employed or an employee, this book will change your perspective.  If you have kids or work with kids, it’s a must-read.

Stand up to embrace your role as a “Linchpin” and join the ranks of those changing the world in their own special way.  And, please, once you’ve opened the door to inspiration, let me know so we can walk this road together.

It’s not often that I recommend books this strongly.  So do me, yourself and mankind a favor and check this one out!

More frequent is looking back on a period of time, or a moment in time and saying, “Wow, that was a huge transition for me”.  Rare is the ability to capture those transitions while they happen – recognizing them as they come and embracing the uncertainty they bring.

Today I find myself in such a transition.  So, of course, my thoughts today are almost entirely on transition.  I honestly think this is the first time in my life I’ve been able to take a step back and enjoy the magic and mystery of transition for all the beauty it contains.

And here’s what I’m experiencing right now…right this very minute.

Relief. The relief that comes with being “done” with something that hasn’t been a good fit.  That’s stood in the way of experiencing life and relationships to their fullest.

Sadness. This was somewhat of a surprise to me.  As I was literally driving away from one part of my life, I found myself surprised at the tears that started to fall as I drove away.  Sadness in leaving some amazing relationships – not forever – just leaving the familiarity and everyday-ness of them.

Uncertainty. As in, this is it!  One door is closing and I’m in the hallway and don’t yet see the next doorway.  Ummmm…..now what?!  With this uncertainty comes a bit of anxiety.

Excitement. Yes, I’m in the hallway after one door has closed but now I get to knock on a bunch of new doors and see if they open.  Peer behind each one and see what they hold.  Decide which door to walk through.  Hopeful that there’ll be one door that I recognize as my own to come home to.

Gratitude. In every experience, good or bad, there is learning.  I’m quite frankly amazed at the full circle I’ve navigated in my current transition.  But I recognize I’m one step ahead of where I was when I first started this particular journey.  That’s a good feeling.  Yes, I’ve been through some experiences that haven’t been ideal and I think I’ll look back on 2009 and say, “Whew…wasn’t that a whirlwind year?”  But would I give it up?  Nope.  It’s that journey that’s made me stronger, more alive and more committed to the things to which I need to be committed.

And on the note of gratitude I leave these thoughts, this transition.  I’m grateful for the perspective of this transition.  I’m grateful for the learning.  And grateful for the opportunity to share it.

So you’re thinking about going it alone and starting your own business.  Perhaps it’s something you’ve always dreamed of doing.  Perhaps it’s a hobby on the side begging to take center stage.  Perhaps it’s a brand new venture.  First, and most importantly…good for you!  It’s easy to be lulled into complacency by the familiar.  If you’re reading this letter, my suspicion is that you’re the type of person who refuses to incorporate “common”, “good enough” or “average” into your vernacular.  Greetings, kindred spirit.

Choose to accept this challenge and discover your inner entrepreneur and you’ll embark on a journey that will fundamentally change who you are and how you see the world around you.  Scared?  Good.  You should be.  A healthy dose of fear will keep you on your toes, push you to do your best and, probably most importantly, keep your ego at bay, at least for a little while, encouraging you to learn all you can.  Choose to explore the uncharted territory beneath those feelings of fear and discover the gift of excitement lying in wait.  Welcome that excitement with open arms.

Whatever your venture of choice, this is an undertaking you should take very, very seriously.  Give it the time, the thought, the planning it deserves.  It will likely take longer, more money and more energy to accomplish your goals than you ever anticipated.  But rest assured, no matter the outcome, the journey will be well worth the effort because, at the end of the day, your growth and perspective will catapult you into a level of resourcefulness that will serve you for life.

The name of the game is action.  Set out a plan for yourself and follow it.  Reject analysis paralysis.  You’ll never know it all, so polish up the basics and get moving, one step at a time.

Not everyone will support your decision or understand why you’re choosing to leave the security of the known to put it on the line and risk a shot at the entrepreneurial life, the unknown.  Some people, even those who know you best, may look at you with skepticism.  Bring it on!  Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur.  Your job is to believe in yourself and find others who believe in you to support your efforts along the way and pick you up when you fall.  It takes an amazing amount of courage to break out of the mold and carve your own path in this world.  I commend you and encourage you on this journey.

With you in mind, I humbly bring you the top tips I’ve personally learned along the way, most of which stem from learning the hard way. Items with asterisks will be discussed in more detail in future blog posts.

1)  Read Start with Why and figure out YOUR “Why”.  Ensure any business venture you undertake closely aligns with your “Why”.  When you know your “Why”, you’ll be able to hang in there when the going gets tough and make your mark on this world, inspiring people as you blaze a trail.

2)  Read E-Myth by Michael Gerber and Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki if you haven’t already.  They’re quick but important reads.

3)  Have a plan.  Try Palo Alto Software for business planning software.  Know where you’re headed.  Once you figure out your plan for getting from Point A to Point B, put it to the side and plan it all over again from scratch, not using any of the same steps.  Once you’ve done this, set that aside and then do it again.  Why?  Because when you hit a roadblock, you’ll have a plan “B” and a plan “C”  to fall back on.  It’s preemptive flexibility that you’ll be grateful for in the long run (thanks to Steve Linder for this idea).

4)  Choose your partnerships carefully.  Whether a business partnership or a key vendor, choose cautiously and choose well.  There’s a reason they call it “Due Diligence” – it’s something you MUST DO!

5)  Know how to write and read a contract.  Be diligent in doing so.***

6)  Start as you wish to end up.  Don’t want to be tied to your business in 5 years, where nothing can happen unless you’re at your desk?  Design it from the start so you have the systems in place to allow your business to run without you.  A great exercise is to graph out the organizational chart of your future business 5 years from now.  ***

7)  Document everything.  For really important conversations, record it.  ***

8)  Know the basics of all the aspects of your business, especially the finances.  Even if you’re not a numbers person, educate yourself to a basic level.  Sometimes it’s really just a numbers game but you need to know the rules of that game to recognize when the numbers don’t add up.  ***

9)  Start small but dream big.  Know your long term vision and goals and start small.  Do fewer things and do them incredibly well.  Then expand, building on your success.  Bite off more than you can chew in the beginning and you’re in for a rude awakening.

10)  Stay true to your integrity.  If you don’t have the highest levels of integrity then please, do us all a favor and don’t even throw your hat in the ring.  Refuse to deal with anyone whose integrity you question, which brings us to the next point.

11)  Trust your gut.  Ignore this rule at your peril.  If a contract, business partnership or direction doesn’t “feel” right, it’s probably not.

12)  Read The Dip by Seth Godin.  Knowing when to quit and when to hang in is critical for an entrepreneur.

13)  Evaluate yourself on a regular basis.  Schedule it.  Stick to it.  By getting this objective view regularly, you’ll make better decisions, able to check your emotions at the door.

14)  Use social media tools.  They’re predominantly free and incredibly powerful.***

15)  Use the appropriate level of technology.  You’re not NASA.  You don’t need a phone system for 15 people if it’s just you, even if it does have lots of cool bells and whistles.

16)  Network.  Find a supportive group of like-minded people.  This will increase your access to great and creative ideas, as well as moral support and years of experience in a variety of areas.  You’ll know these people when you find them because you’ll feel like you’ve finally found your home.

17)  Learn about general Project Management principles.  Most of the items with asterisks above have something to do with these principles that we’ll be discussing in more detail over the coming weeks.

I leave you with this quote from Marianne Williamson:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

With You in Spirit,

A Fellow Entrepreneur

Love this article from Inc.com “It’s not the Economy, Stupid” about why Circuit City truly went out of business.  This is the second time I’ve heard a similar story about Circuit City and its poor customer service.  What I love about the article is that they offer a contrasting business…B&H, and their outstanding customer service model.  So outstanding that they’re able to close up shop each weekend – even their online business – for religious observances.  What an incredible example of a business that knows what it’s truly about.

Steve Linder uses the following metaphor to describe this phenomenon:  in an up economic time, businesses are like little kids playing in a pool, floating around on their little water wings.  They throw all sorts of garbage in the pool…bottles leaving shards of sharp glass, rocks, garbage…but don’t have to pay attention to it, since it’s way down at the bottom of the pool, not impacting them.  Then, all of a sudden, when the water level drops suddenly (aka the economy tanking), now it’s not nearly as fun as they cut themselves on all the garbage at the bottom and wonder why.  This economic downturn reveals weaknesses in businesses that have likely been there all along.  The economic conditions just shines a spotlight on them.

I have a friend that works in Business Development.  She shared with me recently that she’s enjoying her job now more than ever because she’s been able to come up with creative, out-of-the box ways to drum up additional revenue for the company.  Since all eyes are on revenue, her executive team is willing to hear any and all ideas to become more profitable. Businesses that adopt this “open to new ideas” perspective will find themselves even better positioned for long-term success provided they dig in and clean up the garbage at the bottom of the pool.