Small Business Characters
A friend of mine was sacked recently. No, the Huns didn't do it-one of the Baby Bells did. But they called it "down-sizing." And as millions of us have, upon being sacked he decided to start his own small business.
I remember those days. You don't know whether the rush you're feeling is excitement about the possibility of success, or stark terror about the possibility of failure. The truth is, it's a little of both.
The Chinese word for crisis is written with two characters: the first signifying danger and the second, opportunity. Leave it to the Chinese to deliver maximum message with minimum words.
I don't know what the Chinese word for entrepreneur looks like, but if they ask my opinion I will tell them to wrap danger and opportunity around the three characters that stand for vision, courage, and energy. Let me explain.
Danger
Danger is an abiding element in the world of entrepreneurs. I believe you can't have the latter without the former. Sometimes entrepreneurialism is created by danger: My friend lost his job and the danger of being unemployed caused him to consider taking entrepreneurial action. If necessity is the mother of invention, danger may be its grandmother.
Vision
For entrepreneurs, vision is the zoom lens of our desire. Some spark of necessity, fear, or creativity causes us to fix our focus on a particular subject and gradually bring it into closer and clearer view.
Zooming in, our perspective will change with information acquired at each focal length. Along the way, we make adjustments to our plan for the object of our entrepreneurial affection-our business. And since vision is personal, it's also limitless.
Courage
As you deploy your vision, opportunities for action will present themselves, putting courage front and center.
Entrepreneurialism without courage is like religion without faith. If you're frustrated because your business plans aren't coming together, look inside yourself. You may not have the courage to risk the danger inherent in being an entrepreneur. If that's the case, congratulations, you may be one of the most valuable forces in the marketplace-an employee with vision.
Energy
I know lots of entrepreneurs, but I don't know any successful ones who are lazy. There's just something about working without a net that gets your energy pumping.
Entrepreneurial energy may be the most powerful force in the marketplace. If you have it, use it wisely. If you are an observer of it, the awe you feel is justified.
Opportunity
Finally, there is the other bookend character and the Holy Grail of entrepreneurs, opportunity. In terms of entrepreneurial motivation, if danger is the stick, opportunity is the carrot.
Write this on a rock... You don't have to know Chinese to be a successful small business owner, but you do need to understand the characters of an entrepreneur.
Jim Blasingame
Small Business Expert and host of The Small Business Advocate Show
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