The following scenario has happened more times than I care to count: someone enters business. I get a call, email, a ‘what do you think,’ from an enthusiastic, bright eyed and bushy tailed would be entrepreneur. And, whether it’s a computer store, a sign business, a web-company, I have concerns. I smell the stench of frustration and failure.
See, I’ve failed in every way known to man. I know what the failure paths are, damn near intuitively. I been knocked around, you know? I know how to avoid bullies. I know what kinds of signals–the Gladwell Blink stuff–that leads to a failed project, aborted dream or misfired plan. It happens all the time. There are details that are either absent or present that scream ‘failure.’
Usually it’s an aversion to, or desperation for selling. Often it’s an entitlement mentality. But I’ve been asked for feedback. And I see trouble, the details that are missing to get money in the door. Something that will repel customers. I see this a lot.
So, I have three choices that I can see: I can say nothing. I can bite my tongue and let the oncoming bus shatter the toddler. I can also say, without passion a couple of pointers to improve. No urgency, just “hey, you might want to make it easier to buy without making the process feel like a job interview.” Or, I can want to preserve every chance they have.
“This is war, man, and you’re daft if you think that you can win with the army you’ve raised–what are you THINKING?”
But that’s rude. People don’t want to know what is wrong with their project. It stings me when people say things–even things I’ve thought my self–that hold me back. I imagine that it stings others as well. But you have to motivate them to action.
Because striking out on your own is a precious and American spark. Doing something, making something better, hustling more. Having the brains, balls and LaManchan dream to make something happen, even here, even now is beautiful. Letting that spark die is cruel and hateful.
So what do you do to convey passionately, with urgency when you know someone is in trouble? I’ve watched people’s businesses fail 3 years, weeks, or months later. For the reasons that I predicted, often. And the person blames things that they could control instead of the real causal things for the failure. It’s easier to blame others, it’s hard to own up to the real things: selling is flat out hard to start.
It’s easy once you punch through resistance, but it’s ALWAYS hard at first. And you can smell the funk of sales fail anytime you’ve been in the business. The revolting interruptions of that guy that wants you to like him no matter what. But you get an “I know what I’m doing, don’t be negative” reply.
As if being positive is the only way to support someone.
Most people fail, and all failure in business is a choice and a failure to adapt. Period.
As for me? I probably have things I’m gonna hafta correct before I get to the level I want to be at. I probably have stuff that I absolutely need to do better, stronger & more, and probably other things that I gotta do less. If you see them, point ‘em out to me.
