Every now and then, I speak to an aspiring entrepreneur who is amazed by the daring feats of business-building we all read about here on StartupNation, in magazines such as Inc., and anywhere else a business is being built. They perceive a huge chasm between where they are and where we entrepreneurs sit. This couldn’t be further from the reality of the situation.
As anyone who has built and grown a business knows, there is no silver bullet of information that will help you face every potential challenge that arises. There is a well-defined path and there are some key success principals, but no resource can prepare you for the surprises that are in store.
My last company, Indigo Security, was venture funded, which meant that we had lots of cash, but we were beholden to our shareholders. My current company has been grown with no investment capital, and while that has freed us from many encumbrances, it has also meant slower growth. Coming from Indigo, I’ve had to readjust a lot of my habits.
This has also meant new opportunities for learning. I was fairly clueless about implementing an online shopping cart and merchant system, but have had a lot of fun exploring the different solutions.
I think that every entrepreneur needs a bit of… let’s call it "idealistic naivete," and a belief that with some hard work, he or she can overcome the unexpected foothills and mountains that lie ahead.
