19-04-2024
5 soul searching answers for the entrepreneur
by Rajesh Nair
In the life of every human being , there comes some ‘penny dropping moments’ or as the management phrase goes – ‘the moment of truth’. This is the moment when epiphany happens and where the puzzle starts solving by itself. This is the moment when the ‘go-getter’ stops just ‘going’ but starts ‘getting’. There is no age for this to happen nor is it the results of years of experience. It just happens …
The nature of these incidents completely varies for different entrepreneurs. It will also be too presumptuous to put a structure to the same or to generalise it in a template. But there are some glaring commonalities that are interesting and are sector agnostic – it can happen everywhere and anywhere …
I present these moments as five questions which will trigger the answers….
- What is it that I am trying to sell?
It is amazing when entrepreneurs come and discuss their ‘do it all’ solutions – product or service, which has more potential than any other product in the universe. But often, they have not really answered the question – what does their product do? Who will buy it? The moment this dawns on them, they have seen the one ray of light – a humbling , divine moment almost spiritually cathartic !
- Am I selling or am I gifting?
A senior entrepreneur recently told my team that he is not selling a product, he is gifting something that he created with love and passion and with all the nurturing instincts of a parent. A philosophy like that will make ‘walking ambassadors out customers who will increasingly know you, likeyou and trust you .
- Am I pushing or creating a pull?
A quickest analogy is a piece of rope … Which is easier – pushing it or pulling it ? That law is the essence of business – the targets , the numbers and the push are all futile unless you create reason around your product and make people pull or demand it …
- Should I be serving or making money?
One of the first questions you hear from investors or perhaps even from your logical mind is ‘Does this product make money?’ Of course, it is an important question. But a more crucial question is how’ll it value add? How will it serve? It pays to focus on what the customer wants and exceed that expectation with a great ‘product experience ‘ – it will make money !
- How did I get more time in my hands?
This is an amazing revelation. The busiest of entrepreneurs often seem to find more time than others. An apparent irony of life – when you are really engaged into a ‘calling’ or a vision for your organisation, you often find that you have more time in your hands. That extra time comes from focus and intention to do the best.
These are just some triggers on how you can see light and make you product social currency or talk of the town ….
