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...
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