Entrepreneurship: Note to Self (at 21)

A reporter recently posed the question, “What Top 5 tips would you give to yourself at 21, when you were dreaming of starting your own business?”  Though it was very hard to limit my tips to just five, here was my response…

1. Assemble a Master Mind Group of people you respect and trust.  Meet with them periodically for counsel, trouble-shooting and mentoring. Ask them to hold you accountable to your plan, and give them permission to get in your face when it’s necessary.
2. Learn to distinguish between what is “urgent” and what is truly important, so you can use your time strategically and tactically.  Prioritize your to-do list based on where you can have the greatest impact.
3. Study and, when possible, sit down and talk with those who have succeeded and with those who failed at what you are seeking to do. You can learn equally from both.  But also realize that your path and story will be unique.
4. Take time to learn a prospective customer’s business before you try to sell to them.  Learn their language, needs and challenges.  You can’t offer a solution until you really understand the problem and the environment. (Early in the life of my business, when a customer asked, “What problem do I have that you’re trying to solve?” I realized we had to approach sales differently.)
5. Find complementary people and organizations ­– inside and outside your industry – to partner with, and commit to helping grow your respective businesses.  Like no man, no business succeeds entirely on its own.  You will be stronger together than apart.

More entrepreneur tips (published article).
What tips would you like to give yourself at age 21?

-Clifford A. Bailey, CEO of TechSoft Systems, Inc.