For an Entrepreneur, Business Success Means Planting Seeds

Startup Sunday

This week has been a particularly simulating one for me, with many thought-provoking conversations about what brings an entrepreneur business success. It's not a simple formula, although in retrospect the path may seem inevitable.

Early this week, a networking contact talked to me about planting lots of seeds, and not knowing which ones would bloom. That image immediately resonated with me. So much of my business as an entrepreneur involves exploring new avenues with no guarantee that my time will be rewarded.

She also made an important point, often neglected, in saying that she tracks which seeds she's planted. That not only helps her to document her efforts, for reassurance, but presents an opportunity to follow up and water those seeds when she has time in the future. It's a much more fruitful method than simply marketing or networking blindly, with no thought or strategy or follow-through.

Another conversation stuck with me this week, about laying just enough groundwork to move forward with a new project or initiative, rather than waiting for every single star to align. The trick is knowing when you've got enough of a critical mass, without jumping in too early.

I certainly can point to times, as an entrepreneur, when business would've been more successful if I had waited longer before launching an idea. But I also can identify many more times when I planned and researched far more than necessary, causing unnecessary work and delay.

The final point I'll make is the importance of talent. Those who surround themselves with capable, creative people are building a truly resilient entrepreneurial business. So many startups begin as a one-person shop and perhaps grow into a handful of employees.

But in order to truly expand, you need a strong, diversely talented team that will stick with you. It's no accident that business entrepreneurs who develop successful franchises often have a gift for identifying, recruiting and retaining skilled employees.

What's your recipe for entrepreneur business success?

Photo by USFS Region 5 via Flickr.

Comments

[stephanie]

i agree that most successful entrepreneurs are very gifted when it comes to identifying people who are truly skilled and dedicated. it's often one of the most difficult tasks to achieve.

[Doug]

Most successful entrepreneurs not only surround themselves with exceptional talent but also surround themselves with successful mentors. Sharing information between mentors helps build a strong entrepreneurial relationship that can forge exceptional rewards.