reblogged from Harvard Business Review
Learn to be comfortable doing less and planning more. Think like… Archery - value time aiming before you shoot.
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FREE LUNCH #6 | Show Me The Paper
You have agreed to work together. Now let’s get it in writing. Contracts are a dirty word for many entrepreneurs because it implies a lot of ‘legal mumbo-jumbo’ that slows the process of creativity.
A contract is simply a written record of the agreement between you and the other people involved in your idea, which is recognised as a legal obligation. Both parties define what’s in a contract and not the other way around. Think of contracts more like the minutes of the meeting where everyone agreed what you are going to do and how, then signed to proved it. It also protect both of you when the other doesn’t, can’t or won’t do what you had originally agreed to do.
FREE LUNCH #5 | Talk is Cheap and Doesn’t Pay The Bills
Not sure which film that’s from but it is a phrase to heed. Fun as talking may be, just talking doesn’t make things happen.
Ideas are meant to change or influence something. They make a difference and innovate. It’s great talking to others who share your passion and who also want to talk but at some point you have to move from ‘that’s a great idea’ to ‘here’s what we’re going to do’ - from TALKING to DOING.
Having a meetings about what you do can seem exciting but you should appreciate that you are meeting for a reason. A reason which could turn a cosy, optimistic chat into an awkward discussion about timetables, deadlines and investing.
So here is an aid to help ease those conversation.
FREE LUNCH #4 | The Art of Networking
It’s important. Here’s why and how to do it to help your business to be more successful. But why network at all?
- Grows your clients, customers, consumers or congregation. We become more successful by selling or sharing what we do with more people. Networking gives you a bigger pond from which to fish.
- Grows your suppliers, supporters, sponsors or specialists. We maintain success by making the best use of our resources. Others have access, expertise or finances that will make that task easier.
So how do I network? Networking isn’t a beauty pageant. You’re not going out to simply show off how pretty your company or idea is. Neither is it simply about collecting as many business cards as you can. It’s about the contacts on those cards. Here’s what to do.
FREE LUNCH #3 | What Do You Do Again?
It may come as a surprise but one of the hardest things to do is communicate what your business is in one clear statement.
We are so close to our brands that we can see all its opportunities and possibilities. However if we communicate all the options to others it might sound like our business is all over the place.
We can oversell our contacts and access without really saying what it is we do. Other times we undersell ourselves by just giving our job title or business sector. For instance, ‘Hi I’m Brian Bloom. I’m in Sales and Marketing” doesn’t say much about the dynamic company you work for.
You must master saying what you do in a concise, direct and convincing way.
The elevator door opens. And there stands your ideal investor. It’s the chance of a lifetime. But that chance only lasts as long as the elevator ride - you have less than a minute to make an impression. Hopefully, you’ve got a well-crafted elevator pitch ready to give.
The elevator pitch is not the hurried presentation of a full-blown business plan. It’s an introduction, an overview and a pitch - and a short one at that - meant to capture the attention of a potential investor. Of course, an elevator ride is a short one. Guides for elevator speeches that say you have one minute surely overestimate the amount of time it takes for an elevator to move from floor to floor. Of course, an elevator speech isn’t restricted to elevators. Rather, it comes in handy for any occasion where a concise presentation is appropriate.
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