Keys to Entrepreneurial Success: Self-Confidence and Honest Reflection
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, from my youngest days growing up in Six Nations of the Grand River.
My first job was as an industrial painter. It was a steady paycheck, I was good at it, and I enjoyed working with the team, but I also felt restless. When my wife and I started a family, that was the catalyst to reach for my dreams, which also meant reaching for greater security for my family.
Looking back, I wish I had gotten that reality check a few years before; not simply because I was essentially treading water, but also because I was missing out on the thrill, sense of adventure and fun of being a serial entrepreneur. There’s really nothing like it. Entrepreneurship puts you in control of your own destiny and tests your skills, persistence and character.
In business, every day is a new opportunity, a chance to create and learn something new. Some of my days are focused on my ongoing retail, energy or construction projects, and some on my popular restaurant, Burger Barn. I should say “work days,” because I also love to spend time with my equestrian and race car teams. It’s a hobby that turned into a passion. I love the competitions — and especially the winning.
When you’re in business or planning to start one, you need to set aside time to think about the big picture. It’s so easy to get caught up in the details of a business, because frankly the details are important. You can’t spend all day dreaming yourself to success. But you also have to step back and take a broad view of where you are and where you want to be, in six months, a year, five years.
When you think like that, you discover opportunities — opportunities that would pass you by if you were focused on the columns of a spreadsheet.
In addition to big-picture thinking, I advise every business owner to get to know your people — the people who work for you and the people who buy your product or service.
At Burger Barn, I’m constantly taking the temperature of the entire operation — not in an intrusive way, or in a way that would make my employees uncomfortable, but I’m taking note of the atmosphere, the friendliness, the level of customer service; and I’m also listening to what the customers say and how they react to the experience. And the whole time, I’m also enjoying some really good food!
One thing I would add that is very, very important for any boss, CEO, company president or manager who is dropping in on the business and interacting with employees: When you do this, you’ve got to overextend yourself on the positive side.
Don’t stand around looking for faults that you’ll highlight in your next email. Be ready to praise, encourage and engage your workers on a very human level. You certainly don’t want them to duck and cover when you walk in the door. You want their greetings to be genuine, because they genuinely know you are looking out for them, not just yourself.
As you guide your business, you must also constantly reevaluate. This is an important word for any entrepreneur. Step back, take a look at where you are, where you’re going, where you may find some new opportunities, ways you can improve both your business and yourself. Be honest and be reflective.
Another key trait for any entrepreneur is self-confidence. There’s a tremendous advantage when you believe in a project that everyone around you is doubting. Sometimes passing up an opportunity, or cutting your losses in an ongoing project, is the logical thing to do. But self-confidence pushes you on — and powers you to success.
