Catching Flies with Chopsticks

It's the American Dream, right? Sure! In just three steps:

• Find your passion.
• Hang out your shingle.
• You're rich!
  

The life of the entrepreneur is rewarding; I wouldn't trade it. I have the freedom and autonomy to control my own destiny, to make decisions on my own and to enjoy the rewards of my labor.

I also have the responsibility to pay the bills, my decisions can lead to triumphs or disasters and there are people counting on me for their livelihoods. There are great rewards, and there are great challenges. As I said, I wouldn't trade it!

Life as an entrepreneur is not always easy. Sometimes chasing success seems like trying to "Catch Flies with Chopsticks"; hence the title for my seminar for "entrepreneurs and those who want to be."

Many experts give the key to entrepreneurial success as finding your passion and making a business of it. Do you want me to be nice, or honest? Fugetabouit it; I'm going to be honest anyway. It is important to be passionate about your business; I've learned that making a business of your passion can be a challenge.

My first experience turning a passion into a business came in the music business. I had a great time! I met great people, had some incredible opportunities and best of all, had a really great time; most of the time. This business was extremely satisfying emotionally and spiritually; materially it was a challenge.

I next attempted to transfer passion to business when I started to get very involved in martial arts. Once again I found emotional and spiritual success; once again I found a material challenge.

Why were these two businesses rich in emotional and spiritual rewards, yet both fell short of my material goals for success?

Did I just suck? Believe it or not that is something I ask you to think about before you start your entrepreneurial adventure! You've got to make an honest assessment of your talents and abilities and make sure you're bringing a quality product or service to the market. In both my examples, I enjoyed critical success and earned awards and accolades. In both I created financial success; at times. At other times I faced financial disaster.

Do people care about your passion? Seriously! Are there enough people in your probable market to develop a viable base of customers? I've learned his lesson first-hand! I wanted to live in a small town; I've had to learn to expand my market to survive. I have loyal customers; there's just not enough of them close by to support a niche business.

The key to all of this? PLANNING!

But...planning SUCKS! Well, I really enjoy planning but most people apparently don't! It can feel like a waste of time. It can seem as if time is better spent actually doing something. I firmly believe the dream is more important than the plan, but before the dream becomes a reality there needs to be a plan.

Planning doesn't have to suck! I share techniques through my seminars and coaching that simplify the planning process and dare I say, take the pain out of planning? Even a basic plan turns your dream into a real picture and helps you measure your success and correct your failures.

I've learned these lessons the hard way. I hope that by sharing what I've learned, good and bad that I spare you some of the pain! I encourage everyone to at least explore the option of the entrepreneurial life. I also advise you to investigate this world with your eyes and ears as open as your mind and heart!

Jim is doing a series of "Catching Flies with Chopsticks" seminars at bookstores and other venues through the summer of '08. Visit our Events page for his next appearance near you!