Thinking Big – Starting Small
Have you ever considered what is going on in the brain of a baby? What drives them to want to crawl and then walk? We have experienced their frustrations as they struggle to rollover, then crawl, before they walk. I think there are some pretty big thoughts there, at least contextually.
As adults and entrepreneurs we experience many of the same frustrations. We have some big thoughts and big ideas. We struggle with the baby steps required to succeed.
I was talking with a retired friend some months ago. After ‘putting his time in’ he was definitely ready to retire – a lot of folks can identify with this. As the newness of retirement faded he was ready to get back to work and perhaps make a little bit of money too.
He has this great business idea, something that he is passionate about and dovetails very well with some of his life long hobbies. It’s a hands on specialty niche that requires a certain degree of craftsmanship. It’s a niche in which the customer appreciates the value of the product and service and is willing to pay handsomely for it. It is exciting and has a lot of potential. I personally got very excited for him.
As we talked further I uncovered a huge roadblock. He had already talked himself out of moving forward. “To really do it I will need to include this … and this … and this … and that equipment will cost $$”. He was already convinced that he could not be successful unless he offered all of the services that another company offers that has been in business for 30+ years.
He began to question the value if he wasn’t able to do everything that ‘he thought’ would be required. He was not willing to start small.
He has a great business idea. He is passionate and personally values the product and service. This could really work. How do we get him to move forward?
- Verify the Passion – check.
- Required skills – check (although he will need some business coaching).
- Strategic Plan – we are not talking about a 40 page detailed plan, not even 10 pages. We need to start with a One Page Plan – 1 year and 3 year – outlining the Mission (the why), the product (the what), and key actions and initiatives (the how).
- Next Steps – we need to identify the ‘next right steps’. It is important to develop some actionable items, get moving, and develop some positive forward momentum.
Got that big idea –
I say go for it. Whether you are a ‘throw caution to the wind’ type or ‘cautious and deliberate‘ (like me), starting small is a great way to test drive an idea with minimal risk.
You might also enjoy this post from Scott Ginsberg about the value of ‘small’.
Do you need a sounding board? Do you need someone to ask the right questions, the tough questions? We can help you turn your passion into a business. Intrigued – send me a note.
. . . . go have an Awesome Week!
Tom Trabue
theNextStep