Bright Ideas - Why No Results

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I came across an SMB entrepreneur in my travels who, over a cup of coffee, was stymied as to why her latest idea wasn’t producing the expected results.   
 
This friend has been successful in other ventures in her business life.  She’s done a number of M & A’s that expanded her markets in her primary industry.  We were conversing about all the great successes she’s accomplished, reflecting on her years of enjoyment in all that she had delved into.  We began to diverge into the common areas of life – When!

It hit me like a hard kick from a horse that doesn’t want to be shod! In the back of my mind I was mulling over the lack of results of this new bright idea that was gestated from a really bright successful idea businessperson.  You know how it goes – those little grey cells have to make all the synaptic connections and then the light bulb illuminates!  Lucky for me it’s a LED and doesn’t need a lot of energy.  What was it that finally made the connection that was not caffeine induced?

I’m sure you caught it in my opening comment.  The latest idea that wasn’t producing results as other ventures this person has been successful in with her primary industry.  Listening and actually hearing what is said is a skill that I’m still perfecting for the benefit of others.  The point is that this very successful entrepreneur some how missed the basics.  She was so comfortable in her primary industry that her new bright idea took her out of her comfort zone.

But why no good results? She applied what she knew worked in the past to this new idea.  Well, I had to pull up the reins on our conversation and get back to our opening discussion.  As I spurred her on as to why she did not see good results with her new venture, I was able to get her to take the blinders off.

We settled into the saddle with the key questions: What did you know about the industry that this new idea would engage in?  How well did you understand all the nuances of this new horse that you were trying to ride?  We then began an engagement to discover that all the due diligence that she thought was necessary for this new idea did not capture several key components of what would foster results. 

The lesson I learned that day was: you better get to know every aspect of the horse before you try to saddle and ride it.  Even if you have experience in the stable, it doesn’t mean that this new horse is for riding. It may be a horse for plowing. Heck, it was only a miniature horse to start with!  

One must do full due diligence. Gaining as much detail as possible in understanding the new industry they are entering into - Even if they have to ask for some help.

2009: End of Year Wrap Up

Since this is more of my personal blog that transcends life and business, I’m going to wrap up the year with an abbreviated list of my lessons learned or relearned.

1. Faith is still the most valued gift and attribute that will sustain a person in every aspect of life.  For me that necessitates my faith in a living God.  Through Him, I had the faith that my wife would not die from the complications of her surgery at this time a year ago.  Faith that I would gain the wisdom, to properly influence the companies and businesses that I was working with and that I would have the perseverance to complete those tasks that were brought before me with credibility, passion and success.  Faith that those talents and personality giftings that I was born with would be enhanced appropriately by the Spirit of God to manage any Murphyism that arose in the course of time.  Faith in the King of Kings to know that there is real Hope for the future in all things and that I can then extend real Charity to others in a way that is meaningful to them for that moment.  Faith to me is the fundamental of every moment, every breath and every opportunity.  It is the essence of truth for me in this past year and will continue to be so into the next.

2. That moral practices in business still require individuals to be wise and virtuous.  That there is much that startups and small & medium businesses need to learn about cash flow, co-mingling and financial management.  Financial decisions are not made out of desperation but through mentoring, planning and a sustained moral fabric; this way correct decisions can be attained.  There are reasons for budgets and the need to adhere to them.  That there needs to be a formal strategic plan for startups and that CEO’s still need to listen to the management team, especially in a startup environment.  It is still true that in any number of new startups that the CEO is their own worse enemy and that as much as company founders say they have humility, the underpinning of Founders Syndrome can prevail. 

3. That our educational system has lost its way and purpose.  I can write a book about this and there have been many penned in this regard.  But the core issue is that our Founding Fathers intended education to be first and foremost about establishing Citizens and Statesmen of moral principle that could sustain a Constitutional Republic.  Although, since the time of Woodrow Wilson education has been about producing workers, developing skills for driving a nationalized economy.  Education has forgotten the Declaration of Independence and its fundamental meaning of Liberty.  That is because Woodrow Wilson thought the Declaration of Independence to be an archaic and meaningless document.  During this year I have re-read the Federalist Papers, Madison’s Constitutional Convention debate notes, the Anti-Federalist Papers, the writings of Samuel Adams (my alter-ego), excerpts of other Founders and a number of writings on economics, including biblical based economics.  I like what this Founder, Benjamin Rush, said about education: "[T]he only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion.  Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments."  On the Mode of Education Proper in a Republic, 1806

4. From all of what I read this year, I learned and relearned that our federally elected officials, for the majority, do not understand the historical fundamentals of our Constitutional Republic and in my opinion, have been taking the nation down a road of destruction with a loss of Liberties for close to 100 years.  Since we the people, the electorate, have not learned our lessons regarding true citizenship and Liberty, we have no real idea what these elected people should be doing therefore; we rely on a few to establish laws and even fewer that then can determine what the accountability should be of the elected.  As a result of not being informed and educated citizens, we have legislation that is destructive to individual Liberty, which is destructive to small and medium businesses, which then encumbers and enslaves the general population to the whims of those in the Federal Government.  What we have today was discussed during the Ratification Debates and written about in Brutus VI of 27 December 1787 and by George Washington in his Farewell Address.

5. I learned that the so-called science of economics is not a science at all.  That it began as a bunch of sociologists that could not find their way and they were atheists of a socialistic and communistic bent that had to find reason to define mankind and individual efforts beyond the scope of what was defined by Judeo-Christian beliefs.  I learned that this influence has impacted our educational system such that the educational system is set to produce a commodity for work efforts that will cause the ebb and flow of an insolvent monetary system for the benefit of those who consider themselves the guardians of the masses.  I learned that business is affected by these academics called economist because they are the greater influencers on legislative policy then are moral and virtues men and women.  I learned more than I ever did over the last 35 years that the religion of economics has become dominant over the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, which establishes Liberty and limits government intrusion in the lives of individuals.  With this, I relearned that the Judeo-Christian leaders have run from their responsibility to lead and participate in the legislative process and educating individuals in Kingdom principles, virtue and morality in government and society.

6. Most of all I relearned that individuals of common heart and understanding can and will come together for Liberty based on principle, truth, God defined morality and virtue.  That the resurgence of Liberty is a resounding cry of millions that are upset with the political system that has been diminishing personal and societal freedoms.  That as in the days of the first American Revolution, one-third of the population is subject to the political elite, one-third are complacent to anything affecting Liberty and Freedom and One-Third are Patriots that will not stand for injustice and political elitism but are willing to stand for Liberty based on our Founding as a Nation and if need be sacrifice all for our posterity.

7. I can attest that true Friends are invaluable.  They do stand strong with you in the times of trouble and the times of joy.  That those that live to honor the Living God will share of their lives and fortunes to others.  That they will petition the Living God with prayer and intercession.  I can attest that those in the home group from the congregation I attend are true to their understanding of Faith and Charity by putting it into action. 

This past year has been a wonderful year in the midst of personal hardships and business slowdowns.  This year has been full of the Grace of God, Friendships and new opportunities.  This year has been filled with meeting new people and new opportunities.  In all, 2009 has been a fabulous year!  I look forward to all that is before me for 2010.

The Attitude Adjustment In A Downturn – No Need For Desperation

The constant cry in the media is the desperation of the economy.  Since my view of economics is different than the so-called experts, we will leave it for a discussion at another time.  What is important is having an attitude adjustment in the present downturn and for that matter in any seemingly desperate situation.

In my last posting, I mentioned poor executive planning in my second business such that the personal injury caused all sorts of repercussions to the business entity.  This incident caused a downturn in business activity.  A downturn has many different drivers and instigators.  How do we deal with events that result in emotional impacts to the business entity and to all the humans that are involved?

What got me thinking about all this was the number of tragic news stories in our area regarding murder-suicides and what the relationship was to downturn events in the lives of the people.  I had to examine my own environment and acknowledge that things are different in my business then they were in the past.  I was reflecting on all the impacts the new federal legislation will have on the small and medium business environment and what the egregious cost will be to all of us.  I was reflecting on the real unemployment numbers and what a State Senator said to a group of us  - “When small businesses go away, the business and the jobs they provided rarely ever come back.”  In all my reflections and thoughts, I asked myself why am I not desperately depressed.

Then it dawned on me – my background gives me a different perspective on life than many folks.  So, what is that and how have I applied personal life lessons to business?  It all started off from a lot of military training that I had.  Although I was Navy, some of that training came from a Marine instructor that hammered home the idea of adapt, improvise and overcome.  These simple words when applied to life and especially business life allow one to extrapolate into common business activities like these:

• Adapt – to the shifts in markets, to customer expectations, to product life cycles, capital markets, legislative encumbrances/regulation, etc.

• Improvise – simply, in business this is called the process of innovation.  This is creativity through the use of whatever is available.  This should not be limited to technology but is extensible to financial and strategic models as well as the business model in total.

• Overcome – this is all about risk management and problem solving with a perspective of prevailing over the situation, competition or the circumstances.
  

I had a lot of interesting training in those military days but one that sticks to the heart of an attitude adjustment was the comments made by the CO (Commanding Officer) of the SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance & Escape) School in San Diego back in the day.  He was a Vietnam POW.  What he related to us was that in the midst of great trial there are three gifts that transcend all and remain forever to keep ones attitude adjusted.  He talked about faith, hope and charity in the middle of calamity.  Agreeably we were there to enhance our preparedness skill but from a perspective of humanity; these three are core to survivability.  I recalled that lecture today.  Since these three values are a common part of my everyday thinking, I often don’t think about why I react differently than others when the muck sprays through the fan. 

What I learned form this Navy Captain fit well with my worldview.  His first point on faith was simple yet complex:

• He said you have to first maintain your faith in the living God since there are no atheists in foxholes or POW camps let alone the heat of life. 

• He said you have to maintain faith in your Country as our Forefather originally founded it.

• He said you have to maintain faith in your family that they believe you are there even in the midst of trouble.

• He commented that when we tell our fellow warriors “to keep the faith” that we are reminding them of first three points.

• He said you have to maintain faith that God or your county has not forgotten you.
  

Then he talked about hope as being built on faith first.  Our hope has to be built on a foundation that is substantial and not on some person or politician who is full of cow plops.  Hope in the Greek language has a meaning of confidence.  That is why you put your confidence in those who have proven themselves to be true, full of virtue and valor such as your fellow warriors and family.

Then he finished off talking about charity.  This is more like the idea of goodwill and benevolence, which is that first order of affection to others.  This transcends everything.  It could be as simple as a smile, a thank you, a nod of acknowledgment, and an extended hand.  The idea forms from that first point of faith.  It is the right thing to love our neighbors as ourselves especially in the midst of the fray.   The hardest aspect in the intensity of a downturn is to have that charity toward ones self.  Yet, we have to start there so that we have to give to others.

I have applied these principles and others when things are going well or in a downturn.  My wife always reminds me that when ‘things get tough, the tough get going’.  It is about attitude.  As the CO of SERE School taught us, those that do not have a mental attitude that is based on principle and desires to survive, don’t make it.  With that, it is the responsibility of those who are of a strong mental attitude toward life and business to extend that meaningful charity to hose spiraling into the potentials of despair and desperation.  Desperation can show up in business in many ways that ultimately cause the business entity to flounder.

If we focus on the media, the economy is in a tailspin.  OK, the fact is that for the small and medium business environment that drives over 90% of the economy and employees about that same percentage; things are tough.  The difficult aspect is that we are getting hammered more and more by the legislation.  Who knows what the next year will bring.  But there is no reason to become desperate if we stand on those principles of faith as mentioned as well as our fellow business colleagues; that we have hope for tomorrow based on the proven track records of our businesses and are able to improvise through innovation even if we have to restructure what the business entity is all about and that we have charity towards ourselves and our business colleagues.  This may mean that we look more to new collaborative methods of approaching the markets or how we better extend common courtesy to our vendors and our customers.

To continue to build a sustainable legacy for our business entities, one primary key is an attitude of success.  We want to remember to adapt, improvise and overcome through living in faith that gives proven hope so that we can be charitable.  Remembering what I had the privilege to learn from my friends from the Teams - ‘yesterday was your only easy day’ and my addition to that is – every day is a Monday and Murphy will show up.  We have the capacity to build up others and carry through the inane times, as we are confident in that which has given us that eternal and internal strength.