We asked them: What would be your best advice for a young, passionate entrepreneur or would-be entrepreneur?

Joe Ornato – Founder, Ornato Group

Create a backstage process.  Write down all the steps that it will take to give your customer the ultimate experience.  Natural sales people tend to “do” what they “know” intuitively, without getting into a well-defined process.  Building a process allows for: consistency, duplication, organization (of staff), enhanced service, and quick fixes because you can pinpoint errors.

Ricardo Robles – Founder, Capsity Offices

Focus on building strong relationships and learn how to leverage them.  It doesn’t hurt to know angel investors, venture capitalists, attorney’s, insurance brokers/agents, real estate brokers, etc.  It’s also key to look at building relationships with successful entrepreneurs and have them as mentors.

Laurie Hawkins – Focal Point Coaching

Ensure that you have a “flight plan,” and then execute on that plan.  Leverage all the available resources that are available to you – do not let that EGO have a position on your company!

Karl Allen-Muncey, CuteGecko Design Agency

“Eighty percent of success is just showing up.”  Network, get involved, and follow through!  Networking is about creating relationships and a reputation.  Go to community events, and assist other entrepreneurs where possible.  This process will cultivate your reputation and exposure as a valuable provider.

McKenzie Scott, Young Entrepreneur

As a young entrepreneur, nothing comes easy.  In this stage, persistence is key.  Make sure that you are selling your business in a sense that you actually UNDERSTAND what your customer wants.  Cater your product/service to the customer’s specific needs rather than having a one-size fits all solution.

Ben Yoskovitz – CEO/Co-Founder, Standout Jobs

First, have a mentor (or two, or three).  Find someone that has “been there, done that”.  Once you’ve found them, use them.  Second, get involved in the startup community.  There’s no excuse for not getting involved, participating and networking.

Ashley Bodi – Founder, BusinessBeware.Biz

Never give up!  It’s so easy to feel like you’re defeated when trying to start up a business, but don’t let that stop you.  You’re going to have ups and downs but it’s what you do with the things that get thrown at you that makes you a better entrepreneur.

Ben Walton – Founder, Tiger Networks

Systemize everything FIRST.  Run by the numbers, go faster than everyone else and don’t buy “toys” for your business until you sell up!

Janny Ke – Founder, The NOW Organization

Enjoy the adventure with courage, passion, and perseverance.

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Every year I update a personal inventory as part of my overall personal strategic plan. This strategic plan is separate from the strategic plan for my business. Having an updated personal inventory is helpful when I need to make tough decisions as an entrepreneur.

These are three self assessments you can get started with:

1. Personality Type Assessment -This is an important self-assessment because your personality type is a good indicator of your strengths and weaknesses. As an entrepreneur you need to lead your business with your strengths and find other talented people who can compensate for your weaknesses.

2. Entrepreneurial Self Assessment -This assessment measures you based on 3 criteria: motivations, aptitudes and attitudes. There is no “passing grade” but the assessment results give you some good insights and compare your results to other entrepreneurs.

3. Think and Grow Rich Assessment -This is the ultimate personal assessment. It was first presented by Napoleon Hill in his timeless book, Think and Grow Rich, a must read for entrepreneurs. John Dilbeck posted the assessment on his blog and goes through each question in painstaking detail.

Do you keep a personal inventory? Do you have any recommendations for self-assessments?

Eric: Laurie, tell me about yourself and your business background.

Laurie: I have spent twenty years in the corporate space, the past ten being in leadership roles. I have a passion to help business owners succeed and to leverage my experiences in order to assist them with productivity, profitability and performance.

Eric: Do you think mentorship or coaching is important for young entrepreneurs?

Laurie: I believe strongly that every person can benefit from someone that provides them with mentorship and guidance. Those people who are most successful in business understand how to leverage the resources available to them – one of the key areas to leverage are other people’s knowledge and experience. There are many successful business people in every community, and to understand the habits and ideas of those that have succeeded before can allow business owners to elevate their own levels of success.

Being an entrepreneur can be very lonely. Many businesses fail in the first year and one of the biggest reasons is the inner need to drive the business all alone. I encourage all entrepreneurs beginning their journey to look for outside support in order to build their businesses. The resources are available and those that utilize them will drive results.

Eric: What do entrepreneurs stand to gain from seeking assistance from a mentor/coach?

Laurie: There is so much to gain: you can leverage the past success of other entrepreneurs, learn to avoid critical constraints/traps that come along based upon increased awareness, you can hit goals faster by gaining critical insights. You also gain a confidant – someone you can brainstorm with and be completely open and honest with. This person can also keep you accountable, sometimes offering you that extra push now and again.

Eric: At what point should an entrepreneur, or would-be-entrepreneur seek out coaching or mentorship? In the idea stage, the start-up stage, implementation, etc.?

Laurie: A mentor would be a fantastic resource for an entrepreneur through the idea and start-up phase. This relationship needs to be one built on trust. You need to trust that coach with your ideas in order for them to help guide you and execute. A coach would also be extremely valuable once the business is up and running. They can provide ongoing learning, support, accountability, and be a key success factor in the success of the business.

Eric: What would be your number one tip for young entrepreneurs?

Laurie: Ensure that you have a “flight plan,” and then execute on that plan. Leverage all the available resources that are available to you – do not let that EGO have a position in your company!

Eric: Thanks so much Laurie.

Laurie’s magnetic personality and heartfelt passion for her profession really make her stand out in her business. The charisma and enthusiasm that she brings to everything that she does is contagious.

If you’d like to contact Laurie Hawkins about her company, Hawk Inspired, FocalPoint Coaching, she can be reached through Garage Entrepreneurs. You can see her profile here.

Recently we’ve been receiving quite a few member requests for more information on how to manage the online presence of a new business. A major component of that online presence would be building a website. To help our members, we asked expert Avery Swartz (www.AverySwartz.com) to write a TWO PART series on Website Tips for Entrepreneurs. Avery is an award-winning print and web designer. Avery works with entrepreneurs to ensure that their message is conveyed simply, clearly, and elegantly through their marketing materials. You can connect with Avery directly through her Garage Entrepreneurs profile HERE

Click to read Part 1 first.

So you’ve decided to work with a Web Professional – excellent choice. Now, how to find one? You could go the traditional route of writing a creative brief, and putting out a Request for Proposals. Then Web Professionals will submit proposals, make presentations, and meet with you for interviews. This is a great process, but it can take a lot of time. Many small business owners want your business website up and running as soon as possible.

You can look for a Web Professional on your own, without going through the Request for Proposal process. Ask for referrals from other small business owners. When you’re online yourself, looking at other websites, if you see one you like, look for a link to the web designer. Most websites have a “site designed by XX” link. If you like the look of a particular website, get in touch with that designer and see if they’re a good fit.

Things to consider when looking for a web professional:

1. Do you like their website? Choosing a Web Professional with a bad website is like choosing a hair stylist with a bad haircut. Odds are, if you don’t like their website, you’re not going to like what they do for your site.
2. Have a look at the Web Professional’s portfolio. Do you see a range of looks, for a range of clients? Or do most of their projects look the same? This will give you a sense of what they can do for you. If you don’t find any project in their portfolio that aligns with your business’s aesthetic, then this isn’t the right fit for you.
3. Make sure the Web Professional will create an original web design for you, and not recycle their designs or work from pre-existing web templates. Your Web Professional should understand your unique business needs. You didn’t design your business from a template – so don’t accept a Web Professional who will make your website from one.
4. Ask if the Web Professional ensures that their websites are up-to-date with the latest web technologies and web standards, and if their sites validate for proper code. It’s a technical question, but it’s the best way to make sure that they know what they’re doing, and that their web creations will hold up over time. Bad code = bad website.
5. Speaking of code, make sure you choose a Web Professional who can “talk the talk” with technical detail, but can also turn off the “tech speak” and communicate with you plain and simply, in a language you understand. If you don’t understand what they’re saying, it’s not a good fit.
6. Have a discussion about ongoing website maintenance. It is common practice and widely expected that websites are current and up-to-date. You might have a simple “brochure” website now, but you might want to add increased functionality later. Websites should be built with change in mind. Who will make changes and updates to your website after you launch? At what cost? Your relationship with your Web Professional shouldn’t end when the website is launched.

You may be tempted to ask a Web Professional to do some preliminary work for you before hiring them, for example, asking them to do some “rough sketches” for you, so you can decide whether you like them or not. That’s a concept known as speculative (“spec”) work, and it’s a bad idea.

In the Design Community, spec work is widely avoided. Most Web Professionals won’t do it, and not just for financial reasons. Even though it’s tempting to “try before you buy”, spec work is bad for everyone involved. Spec work forces the Web Professional to focus on the final product, not the process, of creating work for you. If you haven’t gone through the design process, how could the Web Professional possibly know what would work for you? If you request spec work, you will likely be turned down.

Working With a Web Professional Your Site is Launched – Now What?

Communication is key to a successful working relationship with your Web Professional. The particulars of the design process are bound to be different with each individual Web Professional. But you should always feel as if there IS a clearly defined process, and you should be confident of where you are in that process.

Make sure you have a contract. It will protect you and your Web Professional, and should outline the work involved, the fee and payment schedule, copyright issues, ongoing site maintenance, etc. If you’re paying someone to build you a website without a contract, they can disappear with your website and your money, and you will not be protected. Put it on paper – it’s just good business sense, and it benefits both of you.

You’ve now invested a lot of time, energy, and money into getting your business online. You have a website, and it’s beautiful. You’ve put your new web address on your business cards. You’ve sent an email to all your family and friends encouraging them to check out your new site. And, since you chose to work with a Web Professional, you have sophisticated analytical software on your website to track web traffic.

So you’re done, right? No way. After a couple of months, you notice your web traffic starts to fall off. You’ve fallen for a common website owner trap: “if you build it, they will come”. You thought all you had to do was make a website, and then it would magically appear at the top of Google search results, and your phone would be ringing off the hook with new business. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it works. You need to promote your website.

Online advertising, blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and link sharing are just a few suggestions for website promotion. Ask your Web Professional for help – the same person who helped you get your site online should have tips on how to keep it fresh, and keep it working for you. It should be part of your ongoing relationship, and is just another example of the value of working with a Web Professional.

Avery works with small business owners to ensure that their message is conveyed simply, clearly, and elegantly through their marketing materials.

You can connect with Avery on Garage Entrepreneurs by checking out her profile HERE. You may also visit her website at www.AverySwartz.com for more information.

Recently we’ve been receiving quite a few member requests for more information on how to manage the online presence of a new business.  A major component of that online presence would be building a website.  To help our members, we asked expert Avery Swartz (www.AverySwartz.com) to write a TWO PART series on Website Tips for Entrepreneurs.  Avery is an award-winning print and web designer.  Avery works with entrepreneurs to ensure that their message is conveyed simply, clearly, and elegantly through their marketing materials. You can connect with Avery directly through her Garage Entrepreneurs profile HERE.

Congratulations – you’ve decided to launch a business, and you know that in this day and age, all businesses should have a strong online presence. Think about it – how many times do you hear about a company and then “Google it”? Having a website for your business gives it legitimacy, and provides an excellent opportunity to share your message with a potential customer. Through your website, customers (should) get a feel for who you are, what you’re all about, and how to get in touch with you.

So you know you want a website for your business – but how do you go about it? Where to start? You probably want an attractive website that functions well, and represents you, but you probably don’t have a lot of money at the start-up stage. Here are some recommendations for how to get your business online, while making sure you get the most value for your money.

Determine Your Needs

How do you picture your business’s website? What does your business need online? Most small businesses only need a “brochure website” (a simple, attractive website that lists information about the company and how to get in touch) at first. However, you may need more than a basic site, or you may need more from your website in the future. Consider your current needs and try to anticipate your future needs. A good website should grow with your business.

For extra clarity, it’s always a good idea to ask your customers for advice. What would they like to see in your business’s website? If you had online shopping, would they use it? Do they want to see photos of your company’s location, or videos of you in production? In talking with your customers, you might be surprised to learn they may have great ideas that you never thought of.

Do I have to hire someone? Or can I make the website myself?

You don’t have to hire someone to make your business’s website. There are a number of free and inexpensive tools online for creating your own site. Do a Google search for “free website” and you’ll see a number of options, most of which are template-based solutions. You choose a “look” from a short list, plunk in your information, and you’re done. But the DIY method isn’t always the best. Some things to consider: web templates offer NO originality. Some of them are of questionable quality, and do not use the latest standards in code. You run the risk of your website being incompatible with different web browsers. You might find the technology difficult to work with and hard to update. And forget about site maintenance and support. What if you have technical difficulties? Who will help you?

The low up-front cost of a DIY website is attractive, but if you choose to build your website on your own, you may find that you end up unhappy in the end. Odds are, your template-based website will end up being bland, unremarkable, and won’t truly represent who you are. Is this the look you want to present to your customers?

Yes, a DIY website might be “good enough”. But is “good enough” really what you’re striving for? Your website should be attractive, professional, well constructed, and original – just like your business. The only way to ensure that you get something phenomenal is to work with a Web Professional.

What’s a Web Professional?

A Web Professional can be an individual, or a group of people (a creative agency, or a design firm). A Web Professional has design theory and technical skills, and can translate ideas and concepts into a great looking website. Web Professionals know the latest in design trends, technical specifications, and Internet practices. It is this expertise that you’re paying for, not just the final product.

Stay tuned for Part Two of Website Tips for Small Business Owners where Avery outlines how to find a qualified Web Professional, things to consider to help you choose the right person, and some tips and pointers for working with your Web Professional of choice.

See PART TWO of Website Tips for Entrepreneurs HERE.

Avery works with small business owners to ensure that their message is conveyed simply, clearly, and elegantly through their marketing materials.

You can connect with Avery on Garage Entrepreneurs by checking out her profile HERE. You may also visit her website at www.AverySwartz.com for more information.

1.  If you’re going to offer ‘on line’ shopping, can you please spell it correctly?

2. This is a picture of a Staples employee carrying a computer chair across an intersection, into a grocery store parking lot for a customer.  Talk about great customer service!

3. While looking for a holiday card for a significant other, I stumbled upon an opportunity for ‘Troubled Relationship’ cards  (They were sold out!)

4. A picture from the window of our office building - the downtown scene was buzzing!

5. There are entrepreneurs everywhere!  I saw a young person climb off this bike and lock it up – must say, I’ve never seen a steering wheel on a bike.

6. Sending mixed signals?  OPEN, ON SALE…then the sign over the door: Closed.

7. I always get a kick out of burned-out signs…this one read: Aki Tical

8. Guiness World Record for the largest wreath?

9. This day I did skip the gym but got a more unconventional workout – wow, that worked up a sweat!

10. Made a big move – decided to become a bit of a real estate entrepreneur.  My first income property!

Hope you had a fantastic holiday season – we’re looking forward to big things for 2010.

Natalie: Can you tell us a bit about Business Beware and where this idea came from.

Ashley: Sure! Business Beware is where businesses can warn each other about problem customers in their area. For so long the slogan has always read “The Customer is Always Right,” and in today’s society that is not always true anymore. Customers have many outlets to rate businesses like the Better Business Bureau, Angie’s List, Rip off Report etc. My father (Robert) and I talked about the idea of BusinessBeware.biz a few years ago when I was getting out of college. My dad has been a business owner in the service industry for over 30 years and he has always said that businesses needed an outlet to get the word out about problem customers. At the time I had no clue how to build a website, especially with how we wanted it to work. So after many long nights on researching, creating and testing everything we launched the site in 2007.

Natalie: I’m fascinated by this concept because I ran a customer service auditing business for awhile and wrote reports for businesses to improve the customer experience. At what point is it not worth it to deal with a difficult customer?

Ashley: Customers are the bread and butter of a business so we strive to treat them with respect and provide the best customer service we can. I’m sure some customers would disagree with that but it’s true. The point that you really just have to say to the customer “I’m sorry, we don’t need your business,” is when they continually want the bill adjusted, lie about the situation when you have documentation and don’t stick to the contract that they signed.

For example, we had a man with our irrigation company that we installed a pump/irrigation system at his house and he signed the contract at the beginning before any work was done. We finished the installation and everything was done just as the customer wanted and they were satisfied, or so we thought… When we sent out the invoice to the customer, a few weeks went by with no response. We gave him a call to make sure he received the bill and he gave us an ear full of how he could not believe he was charged that much, even when he signed the contract that showed the exact price. Then hung up. We sent out a late notice to remind him to pay the bill for the service that was performed. About a week later he sent in a check that only covered half of the payment due with a note that said “I will not be paying the rest of this bill because I believe that I should not have to pay this much for the work that was done. Consider this a bill to your business of $100 for the time I had to take to write it.” And once again, he had signed the original contract that stated the price.

That is just an example of when it’s not worth your time to worry about customers like that but other businesses should be aware of them. If a customer cannot respect you enough to stick to a contract or pay you for the services/products that you provided to them, then you need to fire that customer. This is a minor situation but this stuff happens to businesses all the time.

Natalie: There are two sides to every story so what can a customer do if a business files a bad report about them?

Ashley: You’re completely right, with Business Beware we want to put trust back between the customers so we let the customer have the chance to tell their side as well and file a “rebuttal.” Hopefully the business and customer can work out their situation on the site. We even have some that become friends after they worked out the situation! We also let the complaint/rebuttal be deleted if they want it taken down, unlike some sites where it always stays in the database. Even though our site is mainly for businesses, we want to let the customer tell their side as well if they choose.

Natalie: What tips do you have for businesses regarding customer service?

Ashley: Customer service is easy, treat the customer as you would want to be treated. Be upfront with them and give them all the information they need for your product or service. If they have questions make sure and get back with them and follow up. We all are customers and we like it when a business is friendly and follows up with us so remember that!

Natalie: Do you have any final advice for young entrepreneurs?

Ashley: Never give up! It’s so easy to feel like you’re defeated when trying to start up a business or get the word out about your business but don’t let that stop you. Being an entrepreneur, I think we experience more ups and downs than every day employees because it’s all on us if we fail. But if we didn’t fail, how would we know how to succeed? That is one thing that I have learned as an entrepreneur. You’re going to have ups and downs but it’s what you do with the things that get thrown at you that makes you a better entrepreneur and business person overall. Also, never let others tell you that something will or will not work. Most of the time, those are the ones who just don’t have the drive, like you do, to see the idea through. If they tell you it’s impossible, show them it’s possible.

I’d like to thank Ashley for taking the time to do this interview. For more information about Ashley or Business Beware, contact her directly via her Garage Entrepreneurs profile.

Here are our top ten suggestions for young entrepreneurs this holiday season:

10. Ask for a magazine subscription. Although blogs are great resources, a magazine that you can throw on your desk or at your bedside makes for a great gift. Try Inc. Magazine or Fast Company.

9. Look for problems that your parents or relatives talk about over the holidays. Great new ideas come from observations made, or problems that people are experiencing.

8. Spend some time evaluating 2009 and developing a plan of attack for 2010. What did you accomplish in 2009 that you’re proud of? What were you hoping to accomplish? What parts of your business plan need to be changed for 2010? These are all questions you should ask yourself.

7. Set 5 goals you want to accomplish and the steps you’ll need to take to make them happen. Make sure your goals are SMART –specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Consider the small steps you will need to take to reach your goals and develop a system to hold yourself accountable.

6. Volunteer. Find a cause you’re passionate about and get involved. It feels good to know you’re helping others. Volunteering can be great for networking too. If you’re looking for a great cause to support, consider providing a microloan to an entrepreneur in a developing country via our Garage Entrepreneurs Lending Group on Kiva.

5. Spend time with family and friends. As an entrepreneur, it’s essential to have a strong support system and these are the people who will stick by you through the challenges you will face as an entrepreneur.

4. Read a book (or two, or three). There are a lot of great (and some free) books for entrepreneurs out there. Right now, I’m reading The Knack: How Street-Smart Entrepreneurs Learn to Handle Whatever Comes Up, and Made to Stick. You might even ask for one as a gift!

3. Exercise. Stay on, or get on an exercise routine through the holiday season. Staying healthy is the only way that you can enjoy the fruits of success as an entrepreneur.

2. Take some great pictures. The holiday season is a great time to get some pictures of family and friends. Perhaps you can use one as a background on your desktop to use as motivation in the new year.

1. Take a much-needed break. Relax a bit; you deserve it! Rest up so that you can tackle 2010 and make it your year to get one step closer to fulfilling your entrepreneurial dreams.

From everyone at Garage Entrepreneurs, Happy Holidays!

The Generals start with a given set of means (military training, political power) and seek to identify the best way to arrive at their goal.  The entrepreneurial Generals begin with a set of means: their abilities, their education/experience, and their networks (who they know) and use this set of means to come up with new ideas/solutions to problems.  They start with a goal (to start a summer business), and look to determine the best (least expensive, fastest, most convenient) way to arrive at their goal.

The Explorers however, are like Christopher Columbus.  They begin their voyages into places they don’t fully understand and allow their destination to emerge over time as they continue on their voyage.  Their business plan may change day-to-day, or month-to-month, but there is always a good story that keeps the team together, and brings in more team members along the way.

So, what type of entrepreneur are you?  An Explorer, or a General?

For the Generals:

• Realize that you can’t fully “learn” entrepreneurship – there are certain things business schools don’t teach (see Tim Berry’s post on this) like how to deal with people, how to find a work-life balance, how to know when to fold (know when it’s time to try something new)
• Your plan will never be perfect, so don’t try to make it that way – it’s an ongoing process
• Always look to expand your set of means: your abilities, your education, your networks – in doing so you will find new opportunities.

For the Explorers:

• Although you can’t “learn” entrepreneurship, there are certain things you CAN learn – meet with experienced entrepreneurs who have been through the process and are willing to share their experiences with you
• Keep yourself motivated by reading entrepreneurial blogs, subscribing to magazines, becoming involved in your entrepreneurial community – you need to keep the vision and the spark alive to bring in talented team members along the way and to keep the team spirit high
• Don’t be discouraged from doing some planning – a plan doesn’t need to be a written document, it’s YOUR plan
• Endurance is key – most people give up just before their first success.

I have a picture in my office depicting the journeys of Christopher Columbus, setting out on voyages into uncharted waters and discovering the New World.  I realize now that our plans are made and unmade on a daily basis.  These changes don’t negate the value of a good plan, but are just a regular part of the entrepreneurial process.

Although the formal business planning is important, the map is a constant reminder to me that I should always be willing to think of my business from an Explorers point of view:  we have a vision for what we’d like to be, and a plan to get us there, but each day presents a new, unique challenge and we should be ready and willing to take it on to move our business forward – so should you.

As an EIT (Entrepreneur-in-Training), you need to realize that a great business idea will never just ‘fall into your lap’.  In my experience, and from speaking to successful young entrepreneurs, you must actively partake in an ideation process.

There are many places that you can look for a good idea, but some of my favorites have been included in a past post that I wrote on Entrepreneurial Resources.  Among those are:

Twitter: Following like-minded entrepreneurs who dedicate their time to reviewing and sharing entrepreneurial resources is very worthwhile.

Google Reader: It’s difficult to follow all the great entrepreneurial blogs out there but Google Reader helps me keep up to date.  It shows all new blog posts and will mark them as ‘unread’ until I read through them – great system.  Ben Yoskovitz mentions a few great ones in his recent post Check Out These Startup Blogs.

Newsletters: Check out Trendwatching and Springwise – enough said.

Magazines: Although I do a lot of online reading, I still enjoy sitting down to read a good old fashioned magazine every once in a while.  I subscribe to Inc., Fast Company, and Canadian Business.

Free E-Books: We have many free e-books in our Resources section, but there are many more available on DocStoc.com as well as Google Books.

After you’ve been inspired, there are a few options for figuring out when you should become an entrepreneur.

First, you could put some time into researching and (using some suggested entrepreneurial resources to find an idea now) plan to pursue an idea as soon as you are able.  You could use the above resources and, either individually, or as a team, review new start-up ideas periodically.  In fact, you could start finding an entrepreneurial-minded team today on Garage Entrepreneurs!

You may also keep your eyes open as you pursue other career options.  Many ideas stem from observations that entrepreneurs make in their immediate world.  Entrepreneurs build companies to exploit opportunities or fix problems that get noticed in our own lives and you will be more likely to encounter opportunities when you have a hands-on approach.

Expand your horizons and place yourself in the “idea flow” of new business ideas.  Websites like Springwise and KillerStartups review a large volume of new start-ups every week.  Get a group together and review some of these ideas today!

Passion: One common characteristic about all entrepreneurs is that they’re passionate about what they’re doing. If you’re a young entrepreneur starting (or thinking about starting) a new business, you need to be able to live it, breathe it, eat it and sleep it, EVERY DAY. Before you start off on your own, make sure you have the passion to follow your business idea through and be able to do it every day consistently.

Persuasiveness: Being passionate about your idea is one thing, being able to properly communicate that idea, and persuade others to buy into what you’re doing is another. In a new business you’ll have to be persuasive when talking to potential customers, or when dealing with suppliers, or when looking for feedback. You should always be ready and able to persuade someone that your business idea is a great one.

Patience: Whether it is waiting to hear back from a customer/client, or waiting for your new website to develop, you need to exercise patience as an entrepreneur. There were many times when I would have loved to pick up the phone and remind a customer that I’m waiting to hear back from her about a potential new deal, but exercising a little bit of patience can go a long way.

Pain Threshold: No matter what your business is, you’re going to experience a certain amount of pain as an entrepreneur. Whether it be waiting for a project to be finished that is three weeks over a deadline, or paying twice as much as you originally anticipated for a prototype, you’re going to have to have a high threshold for pain. Tough it out, it will get better.

The 4 P’s of entrepreneurship seem to come up again and again for entrepreneurs – be prepared for them when starting up your new business!

Eric: How did you start out as an entrepreneur?

Ben: I started my first company in 1996 while I was still at McGill University. I connected with my three partners at the time while working for an online magazine (remember, this was 1996!) They were interested in starting a company, and I joined along with them to help out. That launched me into being an entrepreneur. That company was later acquired by a U.S.-based firm. From that point in 1996 onward, I’ve been an entrepreneur. Incidentally, I did still complete my degree at McGill (which was a BSc. in Psychology).

Eric: Tell me more about Standout Jobs, your current startup.

Ben: I started Standout Jobs in 2007 along with Fred Ngo and Austin Hill. Since starting the company, it’s evolved considerably. Our focus shifted from helping small companies and startups with their recruiting effors, to helping larger companies, with broader recruitment needs.   It [is] really about taking the tools and techniques companies were using for marketing themselves and applying those to recruitment.

Eric: You say that you learned more in 2007 about business and startups than in all years prior – could you elaborate on that?

Ben: In 2007 we founded Standout Jobs. That was a big learning experience versus my previous experience founding companies, because it was done with a much bigger vision. We also raised capital for Standout Jobs from venture capital and angel investors. Up until that time my experience with raising capital was extremely limited.  [Since] Standout had just started, we hired employees, began product development, raised capital and we were racing like maniacs.  It’s been an incredible experience.

Eric: From that experience (2007), what do you think your greatest strength is as an entrepreneur?

Ben: My greatest strength as an entrepreneur is that I get things done. I can be extremely productive, even in a situation that requires you to juggle a ridiculous number of balls simultaneously. I have met a number of entrepreneurs that are stronger when it comes to their vision for the future, but I’ve always leaned more towards execution than anything else.

Eric: Where did you learn all your “entrepreneurial secrets”? What was your biggest source of information/motivation?

Ben: I don’t think there are any real entrepreneurial secrets. Luckily there are a lot of mentors out there who are willing and able to help young and first-time entrepreneurs. I do recommend you find a mentor with previous startup experience; it can be a huge help.

My motivation comes from within. I don’t think it can come from anywhere else for an entrepreneur.

Eric: What is the best advice you would give to an entrepreneur just starting out?

Ben: First, find a mentor (or two, or three). Find someone who has “been there, done that.” And once you’ve found them, use them. Don’t just list them as an “advisor” on your corporate website.

Second, get involved in the startup community. There’s no excuse for not getting involved, participating and networking.

[Finlly], understand customer needs and validate, validate, validate. A common mistake is for people to get a “good” idea, build something right away, launch it and then look for customers. That’s a big mistake. You need to take your idea and validate it against customer needs. I would recommend every entrepreneur reads Steve Blank’s Four Steps to the Epiphany, and that every entrepreneur does a Google search for “lean startup” and looks up the concepts being pushed by folks like Eric Ries.

Eric: Thanks so much Ben! Great lessons for entrepreneurs. I wish you all the best with Standout Jobs.

You can check out Ben’s blog at http://www.instigatorblog.com. Be sure to connect with Ben on Garage Entrepreneurs.  Check out Ben’s profile here.

If I could go back in time and give some advice to myself when I was starting my first business, these are the 10 things I would say:

1. This first attempt at this business is going to fail. But do it anyway because you’re going to learn a lot that will make the next attempt successful.
2. Don’t listen to the critics. A lot of people will tell you your idea will never work and to just give up but they didn’t write the business plan and do the research –you did.
3. Listen to the constructive criticism your mentors and supporters give you but don’t feel compelled to accommodate all of their feedback.
4. Being an entrepreneur is tough. Perseverance is key. Stay focused on your vision and don’t even think about giving up.
5. Work on making meaning first. Making money will follow. This may not make sense to you right now but by making meaning, people are going to talk about you and this exposure will bring more opportunities than you would have been able to get without it.
6. Build personal relationships with people even if there’s nothing in it for you. Reach out and help others when you can. People notice the little things you do even when you don’t think they do.
7. You crawl before you walk. You walk before you run. Things may not always move along as fast as you’d like but businesses are built one step at a time.
8. You can’t please everyone. There will always be people that you just can’t please and those people aren’t worth your time.
9. Don’t be afraid to take risks and make major changes if something isn’t working. Entrepreneurs must be dynamic.
10. Follow your gut. If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. Intuition is a powerful force that you shouldn’t ignore.

As an entrepreneur, or EIT (entrepreneur-in-training) do you sometimes find it difficult to stay on track?

If you don’t set limits on your time, you’ll quickly become overwhelmed.  I’ve come up with a technique that helps me stay on track, it’s called “Buckets“.

About every four months I come up with a list of buckets that are most important to me.  This list is short and sweet – and currently consists of five buckets:

1) Spending time with family/friends.
2) Physical fitness.
3) Building the ‘Me Brand’.
4) Reading.
5) Exploring new opportunities.

Every day, to feel like I’ve accomplished something, I simply need to make a contribution to each ‘bucket’.  These buckets actually guide my daily thinking.

Example 1: Should I take an hour break today to have coffee with a long-time friend or catch up on e-mails?  Do the coffee date!  E-mails can wait, and although a coffee break can sound like procrastinating, it is helping me fill my #1 bucket.

Example 2: Should I kick back and watch TV after a day at the office, or go to the gym?  Get to the gym!  I’ll feel so much better after I’ve contributed to my #2 bucket.

These buckets not only help shape my thinking on a daily basis but I’m able to actually guage how much I’ve achieved in a given day based on how many contributions to each bucket I’ve made!

Today I was able to: Go to the gym with a friend of mine (Bucket #1 and #2), write a new blog post (Bucket #3), attend an entrepreneurship networking event (#3 and #5).

On any given day it can feel like you’ve been ’spinning your tires’.  Develop your own buckets so that you can accomplish something great today.

The theory of business ethics seemed like a distant cousin of ethical business in practice. When I think of ethical companies I think of Ten Thousand Villages for its fair trade policies, Toyota for its commitment to the environment and attention to safety, and Starbucks for its policies on fair trade and commitment to people. These companies aim to act ethical and portray themselves as companies that “do good,” however, they still wouldn’t receive perfect scores by the standards set forth in Business Ethics class.

Despite what you think of ethics in business, every business should have a set of guidelines. These are three pillars upon which to develop a Code of Ethics for your business:

1. Environmental Policy –How will your business minimize environmental impact?
2. People Policy –How does your business treat its employees, customers and stakeholders? How do you strive to improve people’s lives?
3. Production policy –How are products produced or services delivered?

I hope our generation can run ethical businesses that don’t just care about creating wealth but also creating purpose -because that’s what entrepreneurship is all about.

As an entrepreneur this is going to happen – I can guarantee it. You’re going to make great progress one day, only to realize that the very next you’ve run into a new problem. This is the nature of entrepreneurship. It’s always going to be an uphill battle. Never settle for less. Never admit to an easy defeat. Never sit on your laurels and stay idle while competitors creep up on you. The minute you become idle is the minute you lose your edge, and your edge is what keeps you motivated.

Do you have the entrepreneurial X-factor? Do you have the zeal, the hustle, the dogged determination to make your new idea become the next big thing?

Lean on your business partner.
Fortunately for me, I have a fantastic business partner who has always kept the bigger picture in mind. Before the start of the new year I sat down with my partner for a planning session. In this meeting, we established that I would be very busy during a few key months and I was worried that I would lose track of the big picture. We decided that my partner would be the one to handle the day-to-day operations of the business, and would delegate tasks to me. I would be able to fulfill my end of the commitment by completing tasks that would help achieve our business goals.

Re-igniting the passion.
I am trying my best to stay on top of industry trends, markets changing, new competitors, etc. If I lose touch with the core of my business it will be lost time that I may never make up again. I’ve gained so much domain knowledge over the past six months and it would be a shame to fall behind because of a few months of losing touch. I’m hosting entrepreneurship info sessions with a group of younger entrepreneurs that I mentor, I’m working with Entrepreneurs-in-Residence at my school’s Entrepreneurship Institute, and attending seminars, and lectures and speeches related to entrepreneurship. I’m reading, and writing and staying involved. Being around successful entrepreneurs is inspiring and incredibly motivating.

Planning.
Every week I’m planning out how I’ll fit my business objectives into my personal timetable. Unless I make these actions a priority, they’ll build up and will not get accomplished. If I fall behind, one small step at a time, it will end up pushing my business down my list of priorities, and I may miss out on opportunities. I have created a dual calendar with my business partner on Google including our personal calendars as well as a “Business Calendar”. This way we’re on the same page for meetings, deadlines, etc.

Dream Big.
Remember what you’re in this for. Remember where you started and where you know you’ll one day be. Is it for personal achievement? Do you want to change the way things currently work? Do you want to make pantloads of money? Whatever your motivation is write it down on a sticky note and stick it in your bathroom mirror so that you never forget, and never lose your motivation to move your business forward even when you have difficulty finding time to brush your teeth.

Get up early.
Try getting up an extra half-hour or hour earlier to squeeze more into your day. So many successful entrepreneurs have found time to squeeze in activities that other people do not. Get up, get out of bed, and accomplish something great today.

Stay in shape.
Okay, maybe you think that this doesn’t tie into business success but I would suggest otherwise. Being in great physical condition makes you feel good about yourself, give you confidence, and energizes you. Hammering out an hour in the gym or twenty minutes on the treadmill also allows me the time to forget about everything else. When I’m working out I really am more relaxed than if I were to sit in front of the TV. When I sit on the couch I’m constantly thinking about other things that I should be doing, but when I’m at the gym I forget about everything else – it’s a great release.

Inspire others.
I love talking to other people about our business and what we’re doing. When I land a great new deal, I love talking about it with close friends. By showing them where I’m at, I get a sense of accomplishment and I also get an opportunity to receive feedback from neutral sources. You never know when you might get the feedback that inspires you to take your business to the next level.

When you’re tempted by opportunities that are outside of your core business (in our experience) you’re prone to fall. This is not to say that you should not turn down good opportunities (after all how will you ever discover new oceans if you never lose sight of the shore), however with multiple opportunities, some will fail.

The good news: entrepreneurs can recover. Success never comes right away. In my first student-advertising business I struggled to bring in my first clients, and I was tempted to make changes before I really knew what I was into. I fell after spreading myself too thin, and I began to waiver from what my original goals for the company were. But I recovered after I re-focused and devoted my daily efforts towards those activities that would move my business forward.

For those of you who are new at the entrepreneurial lifestyle I’d be surprised if you don’t soon (or haven’t already) discovered the: tempt, fall, recover routine.