“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Vidal Sassoon
“If what you are doing is not moving you towards your goals, then it’s moving you away from your goals.” – Brian Tracy
We here at Human Services Consulting and Training (HSCT) are committed to helping each one of our clients (and our potential future clients) to ethically attain peace in their lives through the real-world application of Christian ethical principles.
We are also committed to collaboration and collaborative learning from other professionals, not only in our field, but in fields that interest us and can provide us insight, such as the arts, engineering, medicine, and so on.
With that in mind, we are launching our Guest Blogger series.
For the remainder of April and May, as the leaves begin to pop out and spring visits our country, we will be featuring the thoughts, opinions and commentary of professionals in the field of mediation and conflict engagement.
We hope that these writings will inspire and engage YOU to ethically attain PEACE in YOUR life.
Our first guest blogger is Larry Wolverton, Change Maker & Chief Connector at Top Tier Liaison & Conflict Resolution Services in Arizona.
Top Tier focuses on developing communication around change in businesses and organizations through the use of analyses, methodology and a multidisciplinary approach to communication between employees and management.
Larry has multiple years of experience in education and with healthcare start-ups as well as international experience that he brings to the conflict engagement and communication table.
Today I am thinking about the “Entrepreneurial Spirit” and those traits that I feel make for a contented, happy, self-employed person. I will also explore what it means to be an entrepreneur, both in your own business or as a valued employee of another company.
Most people I have met had, at one time or another, “toyed” with the idea of starting their own business, so the idea is attractive for several reasons; potential unlimited income only constrained by our own efforts, freedom to make our own schedule, and doing things “our own way” are just a few advantages that we see successful entrepreneurs sharing with us in their highly visible life styles.
Not mentioned are the 60-100 or more hours per week required during the start-up phase (up to five years on average), or the stress of development of an idea for public consumption, the work required to create a clear business plan and company direction, and of course the ever high hurdle of financing a new business or business idea.
I would like to point out that to be a successful entrepreneur failure is a necessary ingredient in the mix of experiences required on the path to success. There is a very fine line between failure and success.
Learning how to manage failure and learn those lessons from “fantastic failure” is just one of those dues required to understand how to succeed in business.
I have paid those dues, however I feel the impact of those past failures has been tempered by lessons learned as an employee for others who paid to train me in production, operations, management, and other areas where transferrable skills are learned.
And for those with “great ideas”, there is the ever present negative feedback from those who “care about you.” Critical review of a new idea, product, or business plan is essential to remaining grounded. However the choice of who reviews these critical aspects of your business must be undertaken seriously so that a neutral, knowledgeable opinion is obtained.
I find the mindset shift from employee to owner/manager a natural one that also allows me to understand some of the business decisions my employer has made during my tenure at my “weekend” job, too.
So the question is more appropriate when we ask, “Do you want to be an entrepreneur, right now?” The desire to be self-employed is one that drives creativity and builds the traits necessary to actually be a business owner.
However, the learning process can and often is obtained by taking ownership of our current “day or weekend” jobs, and acting responsibly and creatively in performing above and beyond our employer’s expectations.
Today, right now, is the time to start building and demonstrating those traits that are commonly accepted as entrepreneurial and necessary to success.
Those traits include: humility, willingness to accept the need to change, a willingness to delegate and allow others to help grow the business, sharing the spotlight, listening to our industry experts and mentors, perseverance in face of “insurmountable” challenges, and a solid belief that what we are doing is right for us and our families, among many others.
And lastly, staying in the workforce and working for a company that demonstrates your personal values and goals, and that supports your efforts to be creative and a partner in growth, might be the best way to be an entrepreneur for you.
Not everyone has the luxury of taking the risks of starting their own business, and must forego that “dream” for the sake of their young family, or other reasons not highlighted here.
Taking that entrepreneurial spirit and applying it to your current job or seeking a new job more suited to your interests can be rewarding and just as fun and challenging without the stress.
Would I encourage you to go out into the world and build a business of your own? Yes, absolutely, but only if it is something you crave enough and have passion for that will drive you to follow through during challenging times.
Larry Wolverton,
Employee and Entrepreneur
Change Maker & Chief Connector
Top Tier Liaison &Conflict Resolution Services
Are you a business owner striving to bring the entrepreneurial traits of your employees out in their current jobs?
Top Tier Liaison & Conflict Resolution Services, will help you do just that through top tier, evolutionary communication.
