Entrepreneurs and Special Forces
The other day my 17 year-old son was telling me how he was giving business advice to one of his friends.
As I was listening, I marveled at his business acumen.
He is miles ahead of where I was at his age and most kids his age when it comes to business knowledge.
The interesting thing is that he has no desire to be a business owner.
Instead, he would rather follow in his older brothers footsteps and join the military.
I started thinking how he has grown up seeing first-hand the challenges, difficulties and risks of being a small business owner/entrepreneur and now he would prefer to be in the military.
Do entrepreneurs and Special Forces have something in common? I have taken some liberties with the definition of "Special forces" from Wikipedia.
"Entrepreneurs need to be physically and mentally robust and have the confidence, courage and skill to operate individually or in small teams, often in isolation and in a hostile environment".
By the way, if you don't think small business owners work in a hostile environment, read what Andrew Purder, CEO of Carl's Jr.
, recently said to the California Chamber of Commerce about doing business in the state of California.
I started my first business venture almost ten years ago and at the time I had no idea what I was getting in to.
I started my business as a side job and as it grew, I had to make a decision; keep working at a dead-end job or start my own business.
I had very little business knowledge or background and thought the most important facet of having my own business was the service I provided.
Boy, was I mistaken.
Bringing a skill or product to the market place is such a small part of having your own business.
I had no idea what I did not know.
In fact, I would guess most business owners have similar stories.
Small business owners need to have a complete set of skills far more reaching than a unique product or service.
They need to be masters of communication (one on one and large groups), marketing, networking, sales and leadership.
Business owners must be able to adapt to any environment and are constantly being pushed beyond their natural comfort zone.
To succeed, business owners must be in the elite minority who train at the highest level and are willing to pour their sweat, blood and tears into their venture similar to how a Special Force soldier undergoes rigorous training to perform at the highest level in their field (of course, business owners are not risking their lives like our military forces).
In closing, I would like to thank our men and women who serve this country, the United States of America, and the sacrifices they make so we can be free and make the most of the opportunities we have been granted.
I hope in some small way, small business owners and entrepreneurs honor you by taking advantage of the freedoms you protect as we go out and pursue the American Dream.
As I was listening, I marveled at his business acumen.
He is miles ahead of where I was at his age and most kids his age when it comes to business knowledge.
The interesting thing is that he has no desire to be a business owner.
Instead, he would rather follow in his older brothers footsteps and join the military.
I started thinking how he has grown up seeing first-hand the challenges, difficulties and risks of being a small business owner/entrepreneur and now he would prefer to be in the military.
Do entrepreneurs and Special Forces have something in common? I have taken some liberties with the definition of "Special forces" from Wikipedia.
"Entrepreneurs need to be physically and mentally robust and have the confidence, courage and skill to operate individually or in small teams, often in isolation and in a hostile environment".
By the way, if you don't think small business owners work in a hostile environment, read what Andrew Purder, CEO of Carl's Jr.
, recently said to the California Chamber of Commerce about doing business in the state of California.
I started my first business venture almost ten years ago and at the time I had no idea what I was getting in to.
I started my business as a side job and as it grew, I had to make a decision; keep working at a dead-end job or start my own business.
I had very little business knowledge or background and thought the most important facet of having my own business was the service I provided.
Boy, was I mistaken.
Bringing a skill or product to the market place is such a small part of having your own business.
I had no idea what I did not know.
In fact, I would guess most business owners have similar stories.
Small business owners need to have a complete set of skills far more reaching than a unique product or service.
They need to be masters of communication (one on one and large groups), marketing, networking, sales and leadership.
Business owners must be able to adapt to any environment and are constantly being pushed beyond their natural comfort zone.
To succeed, business owners must be in the elite minority who train at the highest level and are willing to pour their sweat, blood and tears into their venture similar to how a Special Force soldier undergoes rigorous training to perform at the highest level in their field (of course, business owners are not risking their lives like our military forces).
In closing, I would like to thank our men and women who serve this country, the United States of America, and the sacrifices they make so we can be free and make the most of the opportunities we have been granted.
I hope in some small way, small business owners and entrepreneurs honor you by taking advantage of the freedoms you protect as we go out and pursue the American Dream.
