The journey of the entrepreneur often includes stops in various seasons which shape the both the person and their business. These sessions can be thought of as:
- Spring – the time of creativity and planting the seeds for growth
- Summer – the season of growth and nurturing
- Fall – harvest time
- Winter – the season of dormancy and doubt
And like our annual climactic seasons, there is a predictable cycle. The entrepreneurial seasons may have varying durations, but with the right foresight and action, entrepreneurs can rely on ONE VITAL PRINCIPLE – entrepreneurs flourish best when they keep focussed on their gifts! Their gift zone is the place where their unique abilities shine most and are fed by their vision.
I want to acknowledge the genius of Michael Gerber, author of the most important business ever written, The E-Myth Revisited (Inc. 500 CEOs). I’ve had the pleasure of having a few conversations with Mr. Gerber over the past year or so, and his genius still continues today! If you haven’t read this book and you’re an entrepreneur, it’s a ” must read” from my perspective. Entrepreneurs need the fundamental understanding of technicians, managers, and entrepreneurs, in order to avoid failure (40% fail in year one. 80% fail within 5 years). The lessons are numerous and understanding the need to systematize operations is vital…
I’ll be sharing more on the seasons of the entrepreneur in the coming weeks. The message of this article is the importance of the ONE VITAL PRINCIPLE, above, so entrepreneurs can recognize, as soon as possible, the need for surrounding themselves with the necessary resources in order to keep their focus on their gifts!
I coined the phrase Implementeering™ a couple of decades ago, as this is what I’ve personally been doing throughout my career – being the implementer for entrepreneurs who have a dream or vision. The Implementeer™ is the FOLLOW THROUGH element that most entrepreneurs have as a weakness. The Implementeer™ gets the vision from the entrepreneur, communicates the options back to the entrepreneur, makes adjustments, creates the solution, reviews with the entrepreneur, deploys, monitors the envisioned results, reports back, and creates the next steps. Remember, the Implementeer™ handles it all (resources, technology, project management, etc.) so the entrepreneur doesn’t get caught up in the details and remains focused on their unique abilities.
Regardless of the season, the entrepreneur’s success is greatly enhanced when they can stay focused on what matters most and know to surround themselves with the missing elements, to make their vision a reality!