How to be a failure

Was reading the Big Moo, edited by Seth Godin and came across this chapter. So good I decided to repost.

1. Keep Secrets
2. Be certain you're right and ignore those who disagree with you
3. Set aggressive deadlines for others to get buy in - then change them when they aren't met
4. Resist testing your theories
5. Focus more on what other people think and less on whther your ideas is as good as it could be
6. Assume that a critical mass must embrace your idea for it to work
7. Choose an idea where number 6 is a requirement
8. Realize that people who don't instantly get your idea are bullheaded, shortsighted, or even stupid
9. Don't bother to dramatically increase the quality of your presentation style
10. Insist that you've got to go straight to the president of the organization to get something done
11. Always go for the big win

I think I've been guilty of almost everything on this list from time to time, and I can attest they most certainly resulted in failure to achieve my aim. So I suppose that part of this posting is somehow cathartic, reinforcing the behaviors to avoid.

entrepreneurial start

I was introduced a few weeks back to a recent college grad by Ben Casnocha. I will almost always take a meeting with entrepreneurs seeking advice. This meeting came from a trusted source AND she was taking a job in a similar area to my company, Collective Intellect.

I think I get more out of these meetings than the upstarts seeking advice. It's great to get fresh perspective from people just starting out their careers. And perhaps even better, it forces me to examine my own beliefs and motivations about the startup world as I answer their questions.

She asked what motivated me the most to repeatedly start companies and, in a nut shell, this is what I told her:

1. I crave the adventure of the startup. There is no greater thrill in life than starting off on a new adventure. Startups are chock full of the unexpected and your ability to think creatively and adapt are constantly challenged.
2. People who say I can't. When someone tells me I can't do something it really fires up something inside of me that needs to prove them wrong. You can ask my parents to validate that one ;)
3. I want to give my kids better opportunities out of the gate than I got. Now, I made most of my opportunities so this sometimes seems like it's a crutch to me. But I love them dearly and want to give them the tools through my experiences and available capital to fulfill their potential.

And, speaking of kids, I told Jing that starting up a company is a bit like having a child. If you researched all of the things that could go wrong when you have a child you would never have children, the same is true (at least for me) with startup companies. There are numerous decisions you will need to make each day that impact the well being of your business child and you need to learn and grow from the consequences of each of those decisions. But don't be daunted, this is what life is all about. Now go get your toddler away from that outlet!