God that is painful isn’t it? The title is just bad. But I just had to. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in my family. We have my pop, Dennis, my uncle, Jim, my other uncle, Tom. The brothers all decided they didn’t do too well with authority. They didn’t want to take orders and listen to barking bosses. No that’s not the real reason they became entrepreneurs. They wanted to make lots and lots of money by helping their friends and family and the community that they were so proud to grow up in. So Denn and Jim started a CPA and consulting firm. Tom started a law firm. The story of the Lavin Group birth is a good one which I will eventually tell; not today though. I myself am developing two businesses on the side of my duties as marketing director. So why should you start a business?
1. The possibility of wealth and power. Not to be vein here but let’s be realistic. Who doesn’t like the idea of being super rich and all powerful like the genie from Aladdin? No, being super rich from becoming an entrepreneur is not going to give you superpowers. I am talking about a different kind of power which I can sum up by calling it the power of influence. Most of the super rich and powerful have one thing in common. They started a business. I saw this little toy in the West Palm Beach marina the other day:
Skyfall. Her name. Ain’t she a beaut? Is that named after the Bond film? Jeez Louise. A hefty $200 million price tag maybe? No biggie. I can say with certainty that nobody ever bought one of these from being an employee. Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs all have something in common. They all started a business. They are all entrepreneurs. Maybe Skyfall is too extravagant for you. Maybe it’s excessive. I don’t need no stinkin’ yachts. Many people feel that way, sure. I don’t blame you. I don’t think I would want a yacht either. I think I’d rather a speedboat like the ones from Miami Vice. The point is this kind of wealth only results from you starting your own business.
2. Follow your passion. Many of us work for one reason; to bring home the bacon and put food on the table for ourselves and our families. How many of us can truly say we are passionate about our day jobs. Maybe a bunch. Policemen, firefighters, doctors, nurses, construction workers, lawyers are some of the few careers that can make one passionate. But certainly not everyone is passionate about their careers. By starting a business you can truly do something you are passionate about and hopefully make some money while doing it. Make no mistake. You will require passion for the bumpy ride that is often associated with becoming an entrepreneur. Those two businesses I discussed in my opening paragraph and am currently developing are both following my passions. One of my passions is being a fat kid. I love treats. So i develop treats. Many people like my treats and regularly request my treats. Voila. A potential business. Another passion is helping businesses grow by automating, implementing technology and streamlining procedure, and then filling in the gap with some killer marketing strategies. It’s seems I’m rather good at it. And my tactics get noticed by business owners/clients on a regular basis. Voila. Another business. Maybe your passionate about GMO free smoothies. Maybe you love real estate and helping people find the perfect home. Whatever your passion, starting a business is a great way to follow it.
3. Multiple cash flows and additional income. Let’s face it. Being an entrepreneur is risky business. Maybe your risk tolerance is very low. But maybe you can keep your day job. Maybe you can develop or operate this businesses in your downtime. Maybe all of a sudden your business takes off and starts to make some decent money which proves your concept may actually have some substance and isn’t a big fugazzi. But maybe it becomes a side gig that brings in a few extra hundred bucks every month to help pay the car payment. I am a firm believer in having multiple cash flows. It provides more of a sense of financial security versus only having one income stream. It also ultimately means more money in your pocket. Yes sometimes businesses require you to spend money to make money and also require a ton of what I like to call sweat equity (your efforts, time, and stress). But sometimes it pays off in a big way.
4. d2 is a selfish, selfish man. But I thought you said there were only 3 reasons Denn? Don’t worry. This is a bonus round. I am currently mattress shopping. What a pain in the butt. One mattress is $4,000. The next mattress is $400. Can I tell the difference by laying on the for 10 minutes? Nope. But behold. Tuft & Needle! A startup by two gentlemen who understood the annoying and ridiculous mattress market and are attempting to turn it upside down. They make an affordable product thats very well reviewed and rated. They deliver it to you. They give you 30 days to try it and if you don’t like it they come pick it up and give you a full refund. Now this sounds like a score to me. Two models of mattresses. A 5 inch and a 10 inch. No nonsense. What am I getting at here? Well I am selfish. And I love making my own life easier. So many of this startups are offering pain relief, time saving, money saving etc services and products. I want to buy your products! ESPECIALLY if they make my life easier!
Ok Denn, I’m convinced. Where do I start? Open up Evernote, start the storm (brainstorm) as I like to call it. Do it all the time. All day. Everyday. Dictate your ideas when you don’t feel like typing or your on the go. Get in the car and go for a drive and just talk about the concept. Record yourself or dictate to Evernote. Warning. The dictation will only work well if you talk slowly and clearly. Yes I am a big fan of Evernote. So what? I am actually writing this blog post in Evernote. I develop most strategy in Evernote. I do everything in Evernote. Because it’s fantastic. To start a business is hard. But it could be so worth it. So what the heck are you waiting for? Oh if you ever want some help, connect with me on LinkedIn by hitting the button below and send me a fast message. I’d love to help. Until next time. d2 signing off.
