As entrepreneurs, it is our obligation to stand out in a world of mediocrity. To excel and become the best version of ourselves, we will do more, learn more, be more and give more. There are no shortcuts to this journey, and the path will present you with challenges, set backs, frustrations, roadblocks and rewards beyond your wildest dreams.
I am sitting in the lobby of the Hilton hotel (a stunning and fitting symbol of entrepreneurial excellence) revising the notes I made during the WMI re-launch. In particular, I have read and re-read the notes I took whilst listening to Wayne Allen Root. This is a guy who knows exactly what it takes to get across the line in business.
I don’t intend to get political here. Politics (like sex and religion) is one of those topics that is intensely personal and private. What I appreciate about Wayne, is that he is a passionate advocate for the entrepreneur and small business man. Both Cameron and I have come from small business backgrounds and no-one, in either of our families as far back as we can trace, has ever been anything other than self employed. So Wayne’s passion for the concept of empowerment and recognition for the small business person resonates very strongly for me.
And as a politician, this also makes him an extremely rare bird.
His own life’s journey has been as an entrepreneur (and an extremely successful one at that), and he shared with us what he described as the “rules of engagement” for any aspiring entrepreneur. I have to say, while I don’t neccesarily agree with all of his political views, I do agree with him on this 100%.
Rules of Engagement for Entrepreneurs
1. Be relentless.
Don’t let anything stand in your way. Understand that the word “no” is just the start of a conversation. Believe in yourself.
2. Have passion for what you do.
What you have a passion for will change your life. Live it and breathe it.
3. Opportunity does not knock only once.
Opportunity does not knock at all. Don’t wait for opportunity to come and find you, it will never happen. Look for opportunity in every situation.
4. Embrace change, and be creative.
5. Discover your edge.
What are you good at? What are your strengths? Use your edge to engage your customers. Get your customers excited and deliver what they want. You don’t have to be like someone else, in fact, it is better if you are not.
6. Be a risk taker.
Nothing great is ever achieved without taking a risk. You cannot be a risk taker unless you are fearless. You cannot let the fear of failure hold you back. We all fail. Understand that every failure brings you closer to your goals.
7. Be a positive thinker.
You must be a cock eyed optimist to be a successful entrepreneur.
8. Always be selling.
If you are not selling, you have no business. If you are not selling, you are falling behind. Does this mean you are twisting arms and convincing? Absolutely not. A great sales person matches their customers needs and wants with the appropriate information and product. A great sales person strives for a win-win situation every time.
9. Luck happens by design.
Just like opportunity, luck is not something that “just happens to you”. You are in control of your beliefs, emotions, decisions and actions. You create your own “luck”. Successful people are not just lucky. They are always looking.
10. Get off the couch.
Get away from the TV. And get busy. Don’t just wait for the phone to ring. Make it happen.
11. Be disciplined and dedicated.
Get “addicted” to positive things. Take care of your body. Exercise and nourish it well. There is no excuse for not taking care of your body. We all have to eat, so choose to eat well. Be aware of your thoughts, and stand guard at the gates of your mind.
12. Have a “New Yorker’s” attitude.
Be aggressive and take action. Be tenacious. Get it done today. Understand that “no” means “maybe”. Remember that it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
13. “Screw the critics”.
Critics sit in the back seat, filled with their own fear and judgement. They don’t do anything, they don’t build or create anything, they don’t give anything, and they don’t change anything. Believe in change, and embrace it.
I don’t know about you, but I think that sums things up pretty succinctly. I would love to think that you take these beliefs on board and make them your own. But better still, decide to take action, and live them every day in every aspect of your life.
You will be richer in every sense for it. And let’s face it, knowledge without action is completely useless.
Make today a great one.
Cheers,
Tan
