I prepare for the worse case scenario and keep a torch in my bedside cabinet. In the end if you live alone, you are alone even though you can reach out to people with telephones and internet; you are ultimately responsible. So be prepared for anything.

Hi Dr Smith,

I started a small company Avenue Makers catering to HR needs (Recruitment and training ) when i was 21 and ran that for 7 years ….when others from college were scanning the market for jobs .It starts with just a DO IT attitude.The longer you mull ,think ,worry of pro and cons and try maximum risk management your passion for it, dies a premature death .There are some things like all good things that need to be capitalised when the energies are up and positive – too much time on anything is destructive is my learning .Either you like it and want to do it – or its best to drop and leave .

Am not saying its got be irrational – homework, ontacts ,networking ,brand building and even exaggeration at the start helps .When business catches up all that was part of plan and not yet in actual – becomes a reality .
But you need to believe that you will get there .Blinkers help a lot .No diversions .Innovation and creative presentation too is important to mark your spot .

Above all relationship management .More business comes only if who you liaised with want to see you again .And PLEASE pls do reinvent yourself every 2-3 years .Thats the cycle of change .Stagnation is also a guaranteed ,ta ta goodbye.

I can give an example of what that reinvention / inspiration means – the response can get tiresomely long here ,so anyone who wants to know can write to me and i will respond with the example .

Seema R

After determining the best course of action, it is important to get all of the other supporting requirements up to the highest levels of effectiveness. As added information, if earning real immediate and easy income paid directly into your pocket interests you – GO to http://www.greatjobguru.com/offer.php

I enjoyed the article very much. Great information!

After consulting with quite a few start-ups, besides my own boutiqe marketing strategy firm, i have come to clusion that a start up generally follows a trend; It begins on a happy note (trail customers) followed by a silence of 4-5 months that last upto the 18th month. Its from there the true test of an entreprise starts. Those businesses that are based on hard work coupled with understanding of the markets take off in the months betwen 22-27. If an entreprise fails that period better close it and move on.

These observations are based on indian context which is a developing market having strong growth rate and large concentration of small enterprises.

Its great to serve the customer than entertaining a group of sitting people in some office. Pls see my blog for few glimpses of SMEs in India.

Twenty Second Tweak® #5 – by Paul Arthur Davenport Coulter

Darkness or Light

Are you illuminating light, certain, persuaded and sure,

Or reflecting light as you struggle, survive and endure?

Please be patient if my judgment seems hurtful and snide.

My attempt with my questions is simply not to let you hide.

My queries, tough, yet light, could spring emotions, possibly a grin.

Bringing up emotion is your paradigm’s interpretations welling up within.

Like an orange, when squeezed, what’s inside can be foretold.

Possibly, we’ll discover, we’re similar to oranges, if I may be so bold!

What if what’s outside of us is a reflection of what’s going on inside?

Would this awareness that our emotional interpretations internally reside,

Fed by fears, doubts and personal esteem issues, change your perspective?

Do our outer emotions expressed, cover up self-critical internal invective,

Erecting illusionary roadblocks, creating resistance or deeper paralysis?

So, perhaps, while we’re at it, let’s do a bit more analysis.

For instance, who is responsible for our emotional light being off or on?

Who is responsible for our sensations – you, me, or others we come upon?

If others have access to dim our lights and take our personal power,

Who’s in control of the switch that activates the light from our light tower?

Are we letting illusions of emotional darkness blind us from our real might?

Be mindful, darkness vanishes when and where YOU choose to shine your light!

I turned on the lights by focusing on my goal.

Best,
Christine Hueber
Engaging Social Media Relationship Marketing

I have had many entrepreneurs find their way to me through SCORE and my associated web site over the last 4 years. It has been a pleasure providing volunteer services to them all.

I agree heartily with Reno’s perspective on helping without doing it for them.

I have found when helping others it does very little good to show them the light switch. What helps is standing beside them while they fumble around. At the risk of mixing metaphors, my hands and feet are still scorched from walking through the fire. In short I found it helpful in the long run to make my own mistakes but the support of others makes you feel like less of an idiot.

Thank you for a very interesting post. Essential reading for any start-up entrepreneur.