Garage Entrepreneurs

by Eric Tags: big picture, business goals, business objectives, business partner, Business Partners, domain knowledge, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship institute, industry trends, managing your time, mentor, step at a time, successful entrepreneurs

Sep. 15^th 2009

As an entrepreneur, your schedule is bound to overload. There are times when you’re in a normal routine, getting up early, working hard, managing your time well and (most importantly) getting stuff done. There are other times, however where demands on your time become tighter and you’ll having a hard time getting up earlier, and staying focused on your business. Here’s how you can battle through:

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.