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75
investors to place their money and trust behind you. You want your
clients to catch your enthusiasm and to believe in your product or ser-
vice. How can you inspire them if you don't believe in yourself?
If you lack self-confidence, find some. Lack of confidence isn't a
disease, it's a symptom. Self-perceived negatives can rob you of a
healthy ego.
Every six months, to deal with mine, I do a personal balance
sheet. I make a list of my pluses and my minuses. For example, I was
once a procrastinator. Confronting tins in black and white helped me to
overcome it. I started making it a point to tackle distasteful jobs first. In
a short time, procrastination disappeared from my list of minuses. Fac-
ing my negatives, I developed a more positive sense of myself. There is
nothing on ту list I can't overcome if I make the effort. Try a balance
sheet of your own.
2. Do I have confidence in ту venture? l've been asked, “When
you make an investment, are you backing the idea or the people behind
it?” Both. No entrepreneur is a miracle worker. You can labor 16 hours
a day, seven days a week, but if your product is lousy, you've wasted
your time.
A friend of mine is a terrifie shoe salesman. When management
of the business changed, the quality of the stock dropped-off. A cus-
tomer complained that the expensive shoe she was about to buy was too
snug. Не offered to stretch it. “I gripped the shoe and pulled,” he told
me. “It tore in half. What had been a finely crafted shoe was now a
piece of junk. I told the customer the truth, then I resigned.”
The lesson is simple: You can't sell anything you wouldn't buy.
3. Am I willing to make sacrifices? Body builders hâve a saying,
“No pain, no gain.” It should be the credo of every entrepreneur. Forget
the clock. Nine-to-five doesn't exist.
Saturday became part of mу regular work schedule as a young
salesman. And when a snowstorm hit mу region, it was an opportunity,
not an obstacle. The idea that mу rivals would be hiding from the ele-
ments gave me the impetus to push mу product. Its amazing how recep-
tive a buyer could be when the snow was waist-deep and I was the only
friendly face he'd seen all day.
If you're opening your own business, you'll lose the security of
paycheck and the company benefits you take for granted. And there will
be other changes in your life-style. You might not get home for dinner;
76
relaxing weekends may be few and far between. I've even seen entre-
preneurs whose marriages fell apart because they forgot about their
spouses. That's one sacrifice I don't recommend!
4. Do I recognize opportunity? This is a key. Get used to examin-
ing all angles of a proposition. Ask, “How can this work for me?”
I learned this the hard way. When I was with Playtex I met an in-
venter who showed me two pieces of nylon fabric and demostrated how
they adhered without hooks, zippers or snaps. All I could think about
was the lack of applicability for our brassiere business.
That product was Velcro. And not a day goes by when I don't see
it used somewhere.
5. Am I decisive? You'd better be. As an entrepreneur, you're on
your own. And you're going to encounter situations where time isn't on
your side. At Lever Brothers we were launching a new product, an im-
proved wrinkle cream. We planned a major promotion in Ohio stores,
with a famous makeup man flying in from New York to apply thé gook.
But he suddenly became ill and couldn't come.
What do I do now? I thought. So I spent thé next 24 hours in a
crash course in makeup, using a secretary as a guinea pig. Poor woman.
I practiced until her face was raw.
My moment of truth came with ту first customer, the wife of a
store president. 1 applied the product and she left without comment.
Two days later she came back. lier husband had liked the results so
much that she wanted more. Developing a quick, positive response to
adversity had saved an important promotion campaign.
6. Am I willing to lead by example? You can't ask your troops to
give their ail if your idea of a rough day is two hours in the office and
six on the golf course. I never ask an employee to do something l'm not
willing to do, and I work even harder than they do.
By now you should have some idea if you have what it takes to,
be an entrepreneur. So I’11 mention some of the rewards for your sacri-
fices. You'll find satisfaction in creating something out of nothing.
You'll gain a positive sense of self. And of course, there are financial
rewards.
But it's not easy. Are You An Entrepreneur?
QU. Do you have what it takes to be an Entrepreneur? to start
your own business?
investors to place their money and trust behind you. You want your relaxing weekends may be few and far between. I've even seen entre- clients to catch your enthusiasm and to believe in your product or ser- preneurs whose marriages fell apart because they forgot about their vice. How can you inspire them if you don't believe in yourself? spouses. That's one sacrifice I don't recommend! If you lack self-confidence, find some. Lack of confidence isn't a 4. Do I recognize opportunity? This is a key. Get used to examin- disease, it's a symptom. Self-perceived negatives can rob you of a ing all angles of a proposition. Ask, “How can this work for me?” healthy ego. I learned this the hard way. When I was with Playtex I met an in- Every six months, to deal with mine, I do a personal balance venter who showed me two pieces of nylon fabric and demostrated how sheet. I make a list of my pluses and my minuses. For example, I was they adhered without hooks, zippers or snaps. All I could think about once a procrastinator. Confronting tins in black and white helped me to was the lack of applicability for our brassiere business. overcome it. I started making it a point to tackle distasteful jobs first. In That product was Velcro. And not a day goes by when I don't see a short time, procrastination disappeared from my list of minuses. Fac- it used somewhere. ing my negatives, I developed a more positive sense of myself. There is 5. Am I decisive? You'd better be. As an entrepreneur, you're on nothing on ту list I can't overcome if I make the effort. Try a balance your own. And you're going to encounter situations where time isn't on sheet of your own. your side. At Lever Brothers we were launching a new product, an im- 2. Do I have confidence in ту venture? l've been asked, “When proved wrinkle cream. We planned a major promotion in Ohio stores, you make an investment, are you backing the idea or the people behind with a famous makeup man flying in from New York to apply thé gook. it?” Both. No entrepreneur is a miracle worker. You can labor 16 hours But he suddenly became ill and couldn't come. a day, seven days a week, but if your product is lousy, you've wasted What do I do now? I thought. So I spent thé next 24 hours in a your time. crash course in makeup, using a secretary as a guinea pig. Poor woman. A friend of mine is a terrifie shoe salesman. When management I practiced until her face was raw. of the business changed, the quality of the stock dropped-off. A cus- My moment of truth came with ту first customer, the wife of a tomer complained that the expensive shoe she was about to buy was too store president. 1 applied the product and she left without comment. snug. Не offered to stretch it. “I gripped the shoe and pulled,” he told Two days later she came back. lier husband had liked the results so me. “It tore in half. What had been a finely crafted shoe was now a much that she wanted more. Developing a quick, positive response to piece of junk. I told the customer the truth, then I resigned.” adversity had saved an important promotion campaign. The lesson is simple: You can't sell anything you wouldn't buy. 6. Am I willing to lead by example? You can't ask your troops to 3. Am I willing to make sacrifices? Body builders hâve a saying, give their ail if your idea of a rough day is two hours in the office and “No pain, no gain.” It should be the credo of every entrepreneur. Forget six on the golf course. I never ask an employee to do something l'm not the clock. Nine-to-five doesn't exist. willing to do, and I work even harder than they do. Saturday became part of mу regular work schedule as a young salesman. And when a snowstorm hit mу region, it was an opportunity, By now you should have some idea if you have what it takes to, not an obstacle. The idea that mу rivals would be hiding from the ele- be an entrepreneur. So I’11 mention some of the rewards for your sacri- ments gave me the impetus to push mу product. Its amazing how recep- fices. You'll find satisfaction in creating something out of nothing. tive a buyer could be when the snow was waist-deep and I was the only You'll gain a positive sense of self. And of course, there are financial friendly face he'd seen all day. rewards. If you're opening your own business, you'll lose the security of But it's not easy. Are You An Entrepreneur? paycheck and the company benefits you take for granted. And there will QU. Do you have what it takes to be an Entrepreneur? to start be other changes in your life-style. You might not get home for dinner; your own business? 75 76
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