So You Want to be an Entrepreneur

     I learned a lot this week about ideas that generally meet with success, and the practices that generally meet with success when starting up a business.  I also had an unexpected reminder about the importance of women in business, and the value of humility when someone points something out to you.  

To summarize one of the articles I read, I learned that good entrepreneurs screen their opportunities quickly.  They don't waste undue amounts of time going over every opportunity with a fine tooth comb.  They have developed the skill of being able to decide quickly whether something is a truly unique opportunity, or whether it's a more ordinary one.  Second, they analyze ideas parsimoniously.  Meaning they are economical with their time.  They focus on just a few important issues, and leave the rest to work itself out.  This goes hand in hand with the first skill of deciding quickly and not wasting time on irrelevant or uncontrollable details.  The third thing they do is to integrate action and analysis.  They don't wait for all the answers, they are ready to change course quickly if need be.  I find that as I look at these three skills, the overarching principle is speed, or not wasting time.  Good entrepreneurs certainly look at the relevant facts when facing decisions, and they listen to those around them and gather evidence, but they're able to do so quickly, and do not spend lots of time being afraid and trying to look into a crystal ball in the form of obsessive information gathering.  They look at the facts, make an educated decision, and act.  This is something I need to learn to do better.  

I also read that 71% of the new ideas for a startup come from the desire to solve problems that arose from an entrepreneur's previous employment.  What I learned from this was to be on the lookout for problems and frustrations that are industry wide, and to think about ways to solve that problem that could be used to form a business.  I suppose this isn't new knowledge to me, I've read people's success stories who took a problem, solved it, and became millionaires.  Joy Mangano comes to mind, with her Miracle Mop.  

The men in our class were asked to consider why they didn't have many women on their boards.  Some replied with humility and transparent, common sense reasons.  Some, in my view, responded with less humility.  One young man stated that he put men on his board because he aims to become a man.  I didn't put men on my board because I aim to become a man, I put them there because they had knowledge, experience, and personality qualities that I myself needed to learn.  I look forward to the day when all men have the humility to realize that they have much to learn from women, in all settings.  

Jesus Himself saw the value of women and acted in many ways contradictory to the traditions of the time concerning them.  Women were the last at the cross, the first at the tomb, and there would have been no early Christian church without their ministry and hospitality in opening their homes to the meetings of the church.  Some of the most influential Christian thinkers came to the faith because of the women in their lives. God put self-reflective qualities into both men and women, so that we would learn from each other, and so that we would learn who He is.