Author’s Note: This article was originally posted on my personal blog. It has been tweeked some.
A while back I was made aware of a great opportunity by my friend and associate (and reader of this blog) Ron Johnson. He dropped me an email about a Guy Kawasaki contest on his blog. After participating by adding the Truemors Application to my Facebook I sent an email to Guy and I was one of the lucky first 200 to receive a free autographed copy of The Art of the Start - The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything.
Here is my overall opinion of The Art of the Start—It is a book written with true personal experience from a business veteran. In reading the pages I really felt like the thorough advice I was receiving was from a man who knew what the hell he was talking about. This is a growingly uncommon feeling in reading Business books now a days.
Briefly, here is a history of Guy Kawasaki’s career. He started out working as a Mac Evangelist for Apple Computers, Inc. in the 80’s and grew a reputation as the key Apple Fellow in spreading the word about this great machine to programmers and engineers in the infant stage of the Personal Computer.
He eventually left Apple, started a couple other ventures, came back to Apple to clean up the mess it was in the 90’s, and then he co-founded his current company called Garage Technology Ventures, a Startup Capital firm.
In his latest book (of 8 written) he addresses exactly what the title implies, the excitement and pure chaos of starting a new venture from scratch. He runs through all the types of practice a person will need in starting their venture and gives a lot of great insight into the world of starting something new in pursuit of Changing the World.
The fundamental aspect I took away from this book over everything else is that you should not go into business to make money but instead do so to make Meaning or in other words make the world a better place. If a person can accomplish this, money will most likely come.
I have talked about this concept a lot on this blog. Through reading this book you can hear it from a seasoned pro. Business, fundamentally, is not an entity with purpose to make money, but instead is a means to better the world.
Guy Kawasaki’s The Art of the Start is an excellent read for people starting a new business venture because it provides reader the fundamentals but leave room open for them to make personal meaning in their new Startup, whatever it may be.
To check out more about Guy and his new book go to…
www.artofthestart.com
Whats remarkable to me is those who aim to only achieve knowledge in one field. There is something inspiring about these people because of their devotion but it may be counter productive to accomplishing professional goals and really making a difference.
Instead, what I strive for, as do some other entrepreneurs, is a balance of knowledge in all subjects.
It is perfectly fine (and a good idea) to be really, really good at something. But the problem with having knowledge in only one field is that you are putting boundaries on your success and the success of your venture.
Having knowledge in several subjects has a lot of great benefits that will lead to your success as an entrepreneur.
Seeing the Big Picture
My theory of intelligence (a mixture of several theories I have studied) is that it is formed—not by having specific knowledge in something—but instead, in having an understanding of the connectivity of everything.
When you have a good amount of knowledge (maybe not enough to be called an expert) in several fields, you are better able to put all the pieces into the big picture. There is a state of clarity that comes along with universal knowledge.
Creating Great Ideas
One track mindedness is no way to live as a professional. Through seeing the big picture it is easier to understand people, what they want and need, how you can create it and what needs to be done to make it happen.
If my mind worked solely as a artist, I would not be able to generate websites and designs suitably for other people’s businesses and their target markets. Having general knowledge of all types let me see my clients objectives more clearly and how I can help them accomplish them.
Making the Right Impression
Personality is important in your interaction with others. People hunger greatly to be with like-minds and feel that great personal connection. If you are crafted in many fields and understand things as a big picture, conversations will flow better and you will be able to reach a larger group of people.
This does not just hold true with individual conversations. As they say “Marketing starts with the customer… and ends with the customer.” You can use your general knowledge base to understand your customers and let your customers understand you as a person and company. People seek these same connections with businesses as they do with people.
What kind of knowledge do you have? Do you think it would be beneficial to dabble with other subjects? How could it improve your business?
Photo by visualpani
Hello all.
Its been an exciting month. We have a lot of new readers with 14,000 visits for the month of January. Welcome.
Today I want to point out reader favorites (and a few of my own) that you may have missed in the month of January.
Also, if you are new here be sure to join me on Technorati, MyBlogLog, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Ah, you just finished that huge project, gotten that nice big paycheck and have the satisfaction of having another happy client (or customer). Now what is there to do? Get back to the grind, thrive off that big success right away?
Na. This is one of those rare moments that I will say to put work off until tomorrow. Why be an Entrepreneur without the perks?
So instead of doing work today, what can you do? Enjoy the day! The rest of the planet is at work and it’s your world now. Here are some things I do or know other Entrepreneurs do on their days off.
1. Go to the movies. I love movies. But I also have this big pet peeve about chewing. When someone chews with their mouth open I start twitching and my skin starts turning green, muscles bulge out. Okay, so that’s a dramatization but I get very upset and do have very apparent tics when it happens (ask my girlfriend).
Have you ever been in a movie during a mid week matinée? You are the only person in the theater. It’s the best movie experience and it’s much cheaper that what people pay at night.
2. Take some photos. Something fun to do when playing hooky on yourself is to go somewhere interesting nearby and bring your camera. It is remarkable what beautiful things our minds ignores when rushing in the business world. On your day off, try to balance that by finding really cool things and documenting them with photography. Maybe later you can sell them on iStockPhoto. Why fight that entrepreneurial spirit?
3. Go bike riding. This isn’t something I could do right now very well since we had a blizzard last night in Chicagoland and it is currently -20° F with the wind chill outside. But if you live in a place like San Clemente, California (currently 52° F) or some place where salt water will not freeze, then find a trail, or an easily navigable road and go for a long peaceful bike ride.
4. Do something Not-for-Profit. There are always great charities looking for volunteers in your local area, where ever you may live. You could spend the day on yourself (and that is perfectly fine to do) or you can do something to better someone else’s life—even if for just a few hours.
5. Rest and Relaxation. There is nothing wrong with doing nothing. There also is nothing more fundamental in balancing life than some great R and R to offset your hard work. Being an entrepreneur, you don’t always have to wait until Sunday to do this. Why not a Wednesday? As long as you get your work done tomorrow. 
6. Write something. Do you like poetry or prose? Either will work. Putting your thoughts, ideas, dreams, etc. on paper can really evoke some clarity on your day off. It is remarkable what you can discover about the world and yourself just by taking a pen and starting to write. Some of my best ideas have come from a little free time and my moleskin notebook.
7. Play around. Act like you are a child again. Play with Legos. Draw a picture (and put it on the fridge). Watch cartoons. You know you want to do it. And remember, the world is yours. Everyone else is too busy at work to notice you so you have no reason to feel embarrassed.
8. Go to a Museum or Exhibit. Another big thing in my life is Art. It is my life in and out of my business. So the Art Institute of Chicago is a good stop for me on a lazy day. Especially if you live near a bustling metropolis, there is so many museums, galleries, and exhibits to enjoy. And when everyone is at work, it is like the museum is all your own.
9. Ride the Rails. In what one commenter described as reminiscent of Richard Branson, I love to learn from people I meet on the Chicago subways. In the day time the subways are safe enough because there are some commuters and it can actually be a relaxing ride around the city. Also, if you take the El track, you can have your own personal tour of the city. It goes all around (at least in Chicago it does).
10. Get Active. I hate that the courts at the gym are always taken during the evenings. In the day however, the gym is like a personal paradise, with almost no people. It’s a lot easier to exercise properly when you don’t have to worry about the embarrassment of stretching in front of people and getting all sweaty. Remember, a healthy body evokes a healthy mind.
Any other tips? Leave a comment below.
For more articles on professional lifestyle, subscribe to Zen Problog today.
Photo by Michael (mx5tx)
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Side note: I added the first bit of advertising to this site. If you want to let me know what you think of it, you know how to reach me.
Author’s Note: Tangent ahead.
Since I was a kid I have always dreamed of traveling the world ( and meeting Michael Jordan). I have a list of cities that I want to visit and even live for a while.
Until recently I thought of this as just a foolish daydream but now realize that this silly dream is the most important thing I have.
We all have daydreams of our hopes, visions, desires. Most though, including myself, brush off these grand ideas because of this thing called rationality. We grow up to believe that grand things most likely will not happen so we shouldn’t even try.
Instead, what we should do is go to college, get a good paying job, buy a house, get lots of stuff, and do the “American Dream” that I guess someone must have invented in the 50’s. What about our own dreams though?
We, as Entrepreneurs are in a position to see past this facade. To us, a daydream can be something more than a thought during a moment of boredom.
My challenge to you is to rethink the rules and envision your daydream, whatever it is as a real possibility. What if it could really happen? What would need to be done? How could your vision of your business really be accomplished? Or even better: how can your business help you make your daydream into a reality?
In thinking on these terms I came to a realization that my dreams were not so far fetched anymore. I can use my skills in business to make this dream a reality in the future. Now my day dream is the most important thing of all. It is my goal as a professional that I strive to accomplish. It is a motivation to work even harder every day.
So, over the course of the next few years, I am going to aim to make my business as mobile as possible so I can literally run it from anywhere. Maybe I’ll even run across MJ on my journey.
Can you change the course of your business to make your daydreams into realities?
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Photo by rightee
A while back I attended a speech called ‘Let Story Guide You’ at the Willow Creek Community Church. The speaker, Donald Miller, made me think a lot about my life and my business. He told some funny stories and made his point, which was very simple:
Your life is your story. Would anyone want to read it?
As an entrepreneur, your business too is like a story and looking at it like this is the best way to create a better business. You have to make Meaning in your venture.
Making MEANING means creating a business that exists for the purpose of changing the world for the better.
I recently wrote an article titled the 22 Benefits of Owning a Business. It got some great feedback but one of it’s biggest criticisms was that I did not address the difficulty of running a business. One reader, Johnathan, said this in a comment:
Please remember that small business failure rates are huge - think 70% failing within 3 years in most Western economies.
His point was very true. Most businesses do fail. But failure is not just a statistic. There are reasons a lot of businesses fail. Businesses at the core should be entities to improve the world in some way. If you are in business just to make money, you are doing it for the wrong reason and are more likely to fail.
Whether it reaches the entire world, or a very targeted niche of people, your business should do something good.
Here are some ways (just to name a few) that Meaning will improve your business:
You will be more motivated. Money only goes so far. Once a person has enough money to live comfortably, whatever that amount is for them, they will be less motivated to make more. This lack of motivation is the downfall of a business. The owner needs to believe in the business on a higher level than dollars and cents.
You will have more direction. It is far easier to envision the future when you are looking at more than creating profits. Having Meaning gives you direction and makes it easier to establish goals—short term and long term.
Your team will be more motivated. Especially with startups, your employees need more than dollar signs to be motivated. The type of people you will have starting off know that the business will most likely fail and they will have to go to the next thing. To really make them believe in your success, you need to be able to demonstrate more than a paycheck. They need to believe in what you are doing.
You will create better products and/or services. If you are aiming to just make profit, you are going to look at your development in the same way. This mean less quality products that will only generate immediate profits. To have long term success, you need to be able to focus mostly on the quality, not just the cost.
You will have something to talk about. Recently I chatted with a Zen Problog reader who is the creator of The Now Watch. The way he told me about his creation was through addressing the meaning behind the Watch. If he had just said he had a fancy new watch, I would not have even replied to his email. Instead he told me why he created it and how it can inspire me. Giving people a reason to believe in your product is far more effective than giving them a coupon.
You will create a bond with your customers. People seek to have relationships with others like them. This is not just true personally, but with their relationships with businesses. If you show that you are working to better their lives, you will build a bond between you and the customer that will lead to long term sales relationships.
Your can charge more money. Why do you think Apple can get away with charging double what most other companies do for their products? They can because their bond with their customers and the quality of their products is driven by their vision, their meaning.
You can create a long term success for your business. If you really want to create a successful business that you will want to work at every day of your life, having a great Meaning is a must. You, your team, and your customers will bore quickly with sales sheets and profit increases. Having a strong belief that you are bettering the world somehow with what you do will create long lasting success instead of quick earnings and the inevitable downfall.
Why does your business exist? Would people want to read your story?
Photo by ^riza^
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In some side news, Zen Problog has reached a couple milestones.
- We hit 15,000 visits from over 91 countries a couple days ago.
- We now have a Google Page Rank of 4. That is great for a website that has been up for little under a month and a half.
I have also been experimenting with social and community sites. Join the Zen Problog community on My Blog Log, become a fan on Technorati, check out my profile on Linked In, and keep up to date with me on Twitter.
Oh, and be sure to subscribe to Zen Problog.
A few days ago I had a moment of productive clarity. I was in a powerful mode and got more done in two hours than most would get done in a day (including myself most of the time).
Since then, I have reflected on that time to try to duplicate it. As the song Clarity by John Mayer goes “I will wait to find, if this will last forever, and I will pay no mind when it won’t because it can’t. It just can’t. It’s not supposed to.”
Though moments like this don’t last forever, you can still learn from them. Take the time and reflect on how it came about and what can be taken away from such a magical time.
Here is what I learned in reflection of my moment of Productive Clarity.
I was working in a quiet place. There was no one around at the time. It is remarkable how even ambient noise (or people around) can sometimes make the mind drift. One little noise recognition can start a the flow of thoughts, drifting you down the river and away from your goals.
I was well fed. A couple hours before hand, I had had a hearty lunch. I think taking care of this distraction allowed me to be more focused. Plus, the nutrients from the fruits and healthy stuff I ate probably helped my brain focus.
I was well rested. Being self employed has many great advantages. One I have discovered recently is that napping as a break from work can be very beneficial to productivity afterwards.
Napping too long can cause the opposite effect though, making you drowsy and disoriented. I recommend 15 min. to an hour tops.
I had no distractions. A lot of readers have told me in comments or emails that they like my idea to make my television and computer monitor one item so it is impossible to be distracted by TV (Damn you Prison Break!) while working.
I had some light music going. I have a Work Mix on my iTunes that I use as non-distracting music to keep my mind wired. It contains mainly songs I have heard a million times and classical tunes like Nocturne for Piano No. 9 by Chopin.
I had all my personal tasks done. Laundry, cleaning, etc. can really get in the way of keeping focus. All my tasks that I had to do outside of work were taken care of so they were not in the back of my mind.
I recognized my productive streak and kept it going. During that time I got a call from a friend who wanted to do something but I quickly said I couldn’t and got back to what I was doing. When you have your moment, you need to roll with it. For me and many others, flow is very important in getting things done.
I blocked out my thoughts about life. This is easier said then done (sometimes it cannot be controlled) but to me, it was the most important piece to creating Productive Clarity. We all have powerful things going on in our lives and thoughts outside of what we do at work. If you can find a way to block them out it is very beneficial. (I plan to experiment with this later and write about it)
This is what I could gather from it. Have you ever had a time of productive clarity? What did you learn from it?
Photo by Clearly Ambiguous
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