HERE'S WHERE YOU START

"It's not about ideas, it's about making ideas happen."

Scott Belsky

American entrepreneur/founder Behance, Inc.

Ideas are a dime a dozen, maybe a quarter adjusted for inflation.

Planning, execution, hard work make the idea worth something.

A REVOLUTIONARY THOUGHT

"Every revolution was first a thought in one man’s mind."

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) U.S. poet/essayist/lecturer.

Not all revolutions succeed but none of those only thought, never began, ever will.

What is your revolution?

FREE TO NOT BE

"So free we seem, so fettered we are!"

Robert Browning (1812 -1889) British poet.

I am an entrepreneur, now having worked much longer in my own companies than those owned by others.

I can tell you without hesitation, what Mr. Browning says is true.

Start your own company if you like.

But do so understanding that no matter how things turn out you will have only traded one bondage for another.

WE ALL HAVE BOSSES

"Liberation is not deliverance."

Victor Hugo (1802-1885) French poet, dramatist and novelist.

So, now that you no longer work for someone else, have started your start-up and reviewed your list of "truths", make certain believing you are free is not on the list.

You've simply traded one master for many, many others.

AS YOU START UP . . .

"Faith lives in honest doubt."

Lord Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) British poet.

You should never expect others to believe in your start-up if you don't, but that doesn't mean you can't have your own doubts.

It's healthy for you to identify the uncertainties that are part of any new venture.

Identify them, create your plan for dealing with them, and make that a part of what you share with those whose investment you seek.

THE PERILS OF PARTIAL ENTRENEURISM

"Definition of an entrepreneur: One who is willing to live a few years like most people won't, so they can live the rest of their life like most people can't."

Unknown

One of the best partial descriptions of an entrepreneur I've ever come across.

However if you're contemplating doing something on your own or with others, with none of you having attempted a startup before, beware!

It is only a partial description alluding to the good stuff.

There's good reason most people won't try what you're thinking of doing.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't try; only admonishment to get experienced help before you begin.

FAIL ONLY WHEN SUCCESS IS NO LONGER AN OPTION

"Beauty is a short-lived tyranny."

Socrates (BC 469-BC 399) Greek philosopher of Athens

A better description of how most initially feel about their start-up I can't imagine.

We wouldn't be doing it if we didn't think it worthy.

But then reality sets in at which point many efforts stop.

Balance.

The fact that what you're attempting is probably not as good as you think doesn't mean it isn't worth the effort.

I'M CERTAIN OF THIS

"To be uncertain is to be uncomfortable, but to be certain is to be ridiculous."

Chinese proverb

And at no time is this more true than when doing a start-up.

Most everything you believe to be true is in reality an assumption.

One by one prove or discard them.

PAY ATTENTION START-UPS

"You believe easily that which you hope for earnestly."

Terence (195/185 BC-159 BC) Roman Republic playwright

The more you want something the more you should question the validity of what makes you want it.

It may be real, often it's not.

Be sure which it is.

THE MORE YOU KNOW THE MORE YOU KNOW YOU DON'T KNOW

"Who knows most believes least."

Proverb

You know (or should know) this if you've invested in start-ups for which you did not do sufficient due diligence prior to making your investment. 

But this applies to every aspect of business.

INSPIRATION: ONLY THE START

"An idea ran back and forward in his head like a blind man, knocking over the solid furniture."

F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896 – 1940) American author

One quote under the heading of "inspiration".

I wager the starting point for what ultimately become successful startups.

But only the starting point. 

After must come a lot of difficult and arduous planning followed by careful execution.

Otherwise, like the blind man, nothing accomplished other than chaos.

COURAGEOUS PLANNING

"One who lacks courage to start has already finished."

Unknown

However, beginning without a plan is more foolish than courageous.

Well?

"The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone."

Harriet Beecher Stowe

19th century American writer and philanthropist

If your business, your career, is not going to be the success you originally envisioned, are you really OK with it being because of things you knew you should but never attempted to do?

Do it!

On Your Own

"Traveler, there is no path, paths are made by walking."

Antonio Machado

Early 20th century Spanish poet

Suggested by Paula Johnson

There are paths made by others we can choose to follow.

Take the ones best suited to you while always being receptive to the idea of making your own.

Stormy Seas

"He that will learn to pray, let him go to sea."

George Herbert

17th century British poet

Thinking of starting your own business?

There's More Than One Door

"The back of one door is the face of another."

 Proverb

Rejection and failure can be seen as either the end of something old or the beginning of something new.

If one door closes, look for another to go through.

Are You Up To It?

"No one would ever have crossed the ocean if he could have gotten off the ship in a storm."

Unknown source

Not only do I think some would but am certain many have, although far from a majority or even a large number.

The truth is most will avoid difficult challenges, particularly when the odds are against them, the consequences of negative outcome severe.

Whether it be a start-up or a new venture within an established entity, what is your appetite for risk?

Making it more personal, will you tell your boss you think she's wrong?

Free At Last?

"Who then is free?  The wise man who can govern himself."

Horace

1st century BC Roman poet

Start your own company, particularly if one of your goals is to be "free" from corporate life.

But understand the serious and real implications in the need to be "wise" and the requirement that you must also "govern" yourself.

Not doing so may leave you with more free time than you expected or wanted.

Knowing (That You Need) to Begin

"Tis always morning somewhere in the world."

Richard Henry Horne

19th century English poet

Last Friday's quote was about endings so it seemed appropriate to begin this week with one about beginnings.

And I like this one in particular because it reminds me of the constant renewal that is reality in the world.

Endless possibilities to succeed assuming we recognize the potential and act.

Don't just sit there!  Achieve!

The Speed of Money

"Slow help is no help."

Proverb

This could come from a small army of entrepreneurs who, needing funding, were told by those who might be in a position to provide it, "our due diligence will take time."

But if it were your money, what would you do?