There is a phrase I learned in College called ‘having a healthy disregard for the impossible’. That is a really good phrase. You should try and do things that most people would not.
….squint to see Larry….
Chances are we’ll still fail to do the impossible most times.
If we don’t try we are certain to fail every time.
This is where we work…
As a follow up to my office space blog entry here’s a web site that can do a far better job of displaying cool offices than I can. aintnodisco.com
Start up blog mantra:
Delay expenditure
Bring forward investments
Know the difference between the two. If unsure, ask.
Which space would we rather work in?
This..
or these?
* click to enlarge
(the leggo dudes don’t look very happy to me)
Sure some of these spaces are less efficient (read cost more). But it doesn’t have to be that way…. in any case, how cost efficient is an uninspired and bored workforce whose only thought is getting to the punch clock on time?
When our startups leave the kitchen, it doesn’t mean we need to act like the company we left.
Cold Calling – is the hardest part of being an entrepreneur. A skill which is game winning.* Don’t believe what you’ve heard, the truth is very few businesses can grow without getting on the phone.
* We’re not talking about selling insurance to unsolicited numbers…no.
We’re talking about contacting people in our world, our place of business, our industry, our corner of technology. Contacting people where a relationship could be valuable to both parties. We’re not selling either, we’re collaborating. But have no doubt, we are still cold calling.
Create a file in your email folder. Title it ‘encouragement’
For the occasions when you get inspired, thanked or congratulated. Keep it. File it. Refer to it.
Delete the insults.
We were told that our business was a great idea. A super concept.
So we went for it.
Then we started work on the blue prints, and they looked great. Everyone said it was a sure thing.
So we built it.
Then once it was built everyone was in awe of how we took it from concept to reality. They told us we we’re sitting on a gold mine of potential, they starting asking us what life would be like when we made millions, if we’d still be their friends!
So we marketed it.
Then all new and potential customers loved it and told us how they’d buy it and tell everyone. sell it for us and keep coming back for more.
Then we realized there was a lot of brick walls between enthusiasm and reality. A lot of brick walls between a great idea, and that great idea becoming a great business.
There was a lot of brick walls. Walls which were hard to climb. Walls that almost ‘consumed us’ to the point of forgetting the easy, early days of enthusiasm.
These walls are put here to test us. They are asking us if we really want it. They are in fact our best friend. They make climbing over hard, and keep the pretenders out. Those who don’t really want it (maybe competitors?)
We ought thank the walls.