With Why done - Now What? Or How?

In my last post I explained why I feel it is critical to understanding 'why' I should start a business. 

With that establish, now what?  Or how? Or both?

'The time to act is now' is a famous quote...and all too cliché...but appropriate. 

To me, right now I have a critical decision path the choose.  I have to either keep going down the academic path of seeking the right moves to starting a micro-consulting business or just pull the trigger, execute and learn as I go.

I choose to execute...what I have learned this far is good enough.

So, what does this entail exactly?  To me the first steps seemed really scary, mind numbing, or daunting.  But I have really discovered I only need to address three simultaneous fronts to getting my business started: documenting my cause, socializing it to drum up business, and addressing administrative nuisances - such as filing the paperwork to create an entity. 

On documenting my cause - it is critical to understanding 'how' and 'what' I will be doing now that my 'why' is understood. This is going to be my sales pitch. 'How' and 'what' I will be doing in the world in order to deliver value is what I'm selling.  It's my core business plan message and ties to my 'why'.  I discovered there exist many services that can help achieve a populated business plan (I selected populate on purpose). But they will not help me write my business plan well.  As I stated prior, a B-Plan is a translation of my goals into actionable information that has been analyzed against a backdrop of profit and a market.  So, it's through this lens I view the B-Plan as a tool for crafting a clear method of making my mark on the world and delivering my 'why'. I don't think it has to be written in a final glossy brochure form; rather it should be an evolving document. Just like taking a car ride from New York to LA for the first time...it's easy to do the research to know how to get there but it's another thing to actually perform the drive and learn the route along the way. A B-Plan  is that guide from New York to LA and will take me down a path that will likely lead to profits if everything is accounted for properly, market evaluation comes true, and execution is flawless. And, how often does that occur? So keep this in mind when writing a B-Plan and it should be clear what needs to be addressed. 

Next - Socialize Socialize Socialize...I'm at the stage where I can't tell enough people what I am up to. This is how I am going to discover my potential clients. Spreading my word is going to be my primary mission. The more I spread my message the more likely I'm to find someone whom might need me. This can not be talked about enough. To do this, I have conversations about my 'why' in context of my 'how' and 'what'. I'm not shy about it either. But I'm keenly aware that I do not talk at people - I engage them - I gather their feedback and ask questions of whom they may know who might be interested in me.  It's time to break out of my shell and market my value. I have taken the approach - the more I put in, the more I'll get out of it. I'm all in. 

Finally - creating an entity. A critical step to define. Not completely necessary up front in a materialistic sense because of the range of options available to me based on what I am doing.  A consultant I starting out as a 1099 employee and is a perfectly acceptable way to operate for a couple of months.  To test the waters and feel out how things may grow. My research into the subject of choosing an entity led me to the Small Business Administration website.  This resource has tons of literature on the subject.  I, personally, decided to go with Incorporating. My father, being the family attorney, recommended this to me because of the degree of protection it provides of person assets and limited liabilities.  Other aspects I'm working through are degrees of professionalism, virtual/digital presence, and sophistication. I do think that it is important to not use my personal contact info as it projects a sense of unprofessionalism. I'm now in the throws of publishing an website and linking this blog and my twitter feed to it. 

Bottom line in all of this - the time to act is here. I have successfully secured a client and I'm executing to their desires. I feel that this will grow into something substantial and could be a new career launching point. Time will tell. In the mean time, I'm executing to a semblance of a plan that is more or less fluid but semi firm.  I hope that you found this commentary helpful and informative.  Bottom, Bottom line - just jump right in.  In my next post I will discuss Business Development, client growth, and scalability.  Have a great day and happy innovating Blogosphere...

Launch...Hadley-Grayson Group is born

I am a technology consultant…sort of.  I am someone that is really passionate about new ways of doing things and technology is an expression of that to me.  My day job involves new technology for government purposes.  But I wanted to expand a little and officially, it's been about 3.5 months since I envisioned consulting as a part time gig.  Originally, to help make a little extra money for some upcoming expenses and a possible offset of an impending furlough.  At first I only expected to operate as a single entity on a 1099 basis.  But it occurred to me: "What the heck. Let’s go for broke and as where this thing goes.”  Thus, a company is born.  And in this Blog entry I felt it was fitting to share some of the startup activities and challenges that I have encounter. 

Fundamentally starting a business is easier that it may seem.  Starting a successful business is not.  Ok that is a cliché.  But there is a tremendous amount of truth to it and I would like to share some insight to consider.  I crafted and created the Hadley-Grayson Group, Inc. It’s a consulting group specifically working to mature technology for commercial markets.  I’m the Vice President, my wife, Wendy, is the President and the company is named after our two kids.  I have never started a company before and didn’t even know how to begin.  I just knew originally that I wanted to make more money and my primary source of revenue wasn’t getting me there.

To start a business not knowing how, starting with a gut instinct on what to do first is the way to go.  It’s natural and kicks off the evolutionary education you are about to receive.  My start lead me down a path of trying to figure out the mechanics of how to start and run a business.  This seems like a logical first step and is something that has to be done anyway.  Call it Business 101.  

I started out reading Forbes, Harvard Business Review and scouring the SBA website looking for 'the golden manual' to starting a business.  There is plenty of advice out there (and sound at that) but nothing that jumped out at me as a step-by-step manual of how to get it done.  My next gut instinct step was to ask people whom I trusted and had success doing what I was attempting.  I had three great conversations with three amazing people all at different stages of their endeavors.  Each had vast experiences that were disparate to each other but through my 'lens' described exactly my problem.  I won't bore you with the details of the conversation, however, the bottom line: While what I was doing was important, I discovered I was getting way ahead of myself by trying to understand how to start and run a business when I wasn't even sure why I wanted one.  Of course I knew I wanted to make money.  But that is not why any of us does what we do. Think about it.  It's hard to articulate but emotionally we all are motivated by something deeper than material things when we choose to do something. 

I had another great conversation with a friend has spent his entire career in the Aerospace Advance Development world - better known as SkunkWorks.  He is known to me for his deep and profound thinking ways.  He is the one person I turn to for intellectual curiosity, personal growth, or just to have a very stimulating conversation. This guy has nothing short of 'amazing' things to discuss; a true fountain of knowledge and wisdom.  His insights into my problem only highlighted in extremely bold, but friendly, letters that I really needed to understand why I was doing what I was doing.  He recommended that I do a little light reading and cover the books 'Start with Why', ‘Outliers', 'The Black Swan', and anything on Steve Jobs - namely because he is so popular right now and there exist an abundance of publications about him and Apple.  He suggested that I needed to read all of the books with one thing in mind: “Try to ascertain why you want to start a business and good luck!”

So I did what he said.  I borrowed every book from the library and feverishly research my question.   it became clear that I had reached my goal at the end of my quest.  I had clearly understood the meaning of what I wanted to do - or so I thought.

I phoned up my friend again to discuss my findings.  His feedback was that I was definitely on the right track but like a diamond from the mines: I needed polishing and refinement.  I would (and will) gain and continue to gain this through time and experience executing my ‘why.’  And I most certainly am.

So, what was the one thing that I learned: I need to understand my own personal values to shape how and what I wanted to do in the world?  It is so critical to understand the why in order to understand the how and what to do. Conversely stated, the how and what are essential vehicles to accomplishing the why.  This concept was best highlighted in 'Start with Why', obviously.  But it was such a clear theme across many the other publications I read that it could not be overlooked - as it is so glaringly obvious.

Why is 'why' so critical?  Well, from my point of view it is easier to defend, sell, or explain anything when we believe in what we are taking about.  When we believe in a subject, we are 'speaking' from our core values and beliefs that are engrained into our self-being.  Those values have been shaped by our experiences through life.  We may not be able to articulate with words why we feel what we feel or how we reached our conclusion of what is right or wrong - but we are sure in our convictions.  If you pick up any leadership, how to be great at business or a bio on any great CEO it's clear that a business or cause is a tool that expresses personal values of individuals.

So with that in mind of why - I needed to clearly understand me.  Why am I the way I am and why do I believe in what I believe?  There is no self-explanatory process to achieve this level of self-actualization and is an evolving/evolutionary project.  But it is an activity that brings with it a feeling of great personal achievement and clarity that only you can feel; even if understanding your why is for self-discovery or for starting a business. It ultimately leads you to explaining your purpose, your drive, and your motivator for your life’s goals.  It's a profound and life changing activity. 

My why helped me understand me.  What is your why?  It's with that thought I will end this post and explain the 'easy' stuff of setting up a business in a follow on post.  Start with 'why' and all else will become clear. Have a great day and happy innovating Blogosphere...