The image above explains almost EXACTLY what my outlook is when it comes to business, and entrepreneurship. Take a good look at it, before reading the rest of this post! It can be applied almost DIRECTLY to any business!
Personally, I learnt a lot from Knapp's class, and all of the guest speakers that came in. The image that will stick with me for the rest of my life is Paul Orfalea smacking his own hand, and then kissing and caressing it. He used this imagery to explain that he can either keep his employees happy, or he can punish them. His saying was
"Happy fingers ring happy registers."
This ties into one of the tools in my E-Toolbox:
E-Tools
1) Positivity - I feel this is crucial to being an entrepreneur in any field. Entrepreneurs are often faced with situations that might not look positive, or would get the "average" person (it is already assumed that we, entrepreneurs, are not "average" people) down, or cause them to have negative thoughts.
If an un-trained person were to start a business, and they were losing money for the first year, they might be disheartened. However, an entrepreneur will not be disheartened at all because he/she has to stay positive. (Of course, the entrepreneur will be able to stay positive because they have already made a sales forecast, and generated financial feasibility data, thereby roughly knowing when they will break even. The "average" person does not know that the entrepreneur knows this, though.)
2) Perseverance/Drive - These two tools are essentially the same, but I feel it is important to mention both. Bob McKnight mentioned perseverance when he and his partner, Jeff Hackman, wanted to start Quicksilver America. Alan Green, the proprietor of the rights to Quicksilver America told Jeff and Bob, that if "Bob eats the doily (table-mat) under his plate, I'll give you the rights to Quicksilver America." Jeff ate the Doily, and the partners received the rights. Now that's what I call perseverance and drive; believing in something so deeply that you are willing to eat something that is not meant to be eaten! When going into business, we all, as entrepreneurs, need to have the drive and will to achieve our goals, and to reach those goals, we need to persevere until we reach them, or we die (metaphorically, of course). I prefer reaching them as opposed to dying (metaphorically, again).
No matter what, keep your head up, and above all else have the drive and perseverance to reach the goals you have set for yourself.
Jay
