By Bill Caswell
Special to Ontario Construction News
If there is any way to describe the behaviour of the business founder, a certain beetle seems to be shining example. For convenience I will call this species ‘Reggie’. I draw your attention to Reggie because he never gives up, knowing full well that if he did, his life would end. He tears through all obstacles, no matter how putrid, with reckless abandon.
Reggie
To satisfy the mystery about Reggie, he is a beetle whose real name is regimbartia attenuate1. He is often on the menu of a number of swamp-dwelling frogs. Once ingested by a frog, Reggie swims like crazy, through the frog’s seemingly unending internal plumbing, overcoming all unpleasant obstacles until Reggie pops out the other end. As you realize, if Reggie was to give up, his life would end right there and then.
Starting a new venture
Whenever an individual asks my opinion about her starting an enterprise or venture my encouragement is usually very positive. But, also, I attempt to warn the keener of what lies ahead for her so that this person has no illusions. Founding is nothing but hard work, frequent failures, slowness for the business to develop, dismissals by friends and so-called sages, and fraught with unforeseen, unpleasant, obstacles.
Founder traits
Characteristics of the founder of an enterprise separate such individuals from the average person. Going at something new needs, first, as illustrated by Reggie, the determination to never give up, whereas the average person would throw in the towel when the going got too rough on a repeated basis. Obstacle after obstacle will be encountered, some of them exceedingly stinky – just ask Reggie. Hanging on by his fingernails is a normal demand of the typical founder.
Second, the founder is one who is willing to take risks, to venture where the average person would fear to tread. All sorts of reasons why the new venture would not work out are offered by friends, associates, advisors, bankers, and lawyers. There are no answers to many issues that lie ahead, so timidity would hold the average person back.
Third, the founder believes in himself and the idea when all around show doubt. Simon and Garfunkel, the Beatles, and Starbucks’ founders all met derisive resistance with their ambitious ideas. But yet they persisted – and won.
Fourth, is the choice, at times, to place the founder and her ideas above all others. This egotistical characteristic drives her to ignore her husband, her child, and her family, sometimes. Weekends are no longer hers; they belong to fixing glitches in her new enterprise. And she will not receive her family’s understanding of what drives her. But driven she must be, or she will fail.
Conclusion
By all means pursue your dream to be the founder of a new venture. But realize that it will not be easy going. If you were to give up, your life’s dream would end right there and then. Sacrifice is needed. But the personal reward is always enormous. Even if your new venture fails, knowing that you have tried serves important internal needs, including the reward of improved self-esteem.
1 Current Biology journal, 3 August 2020 issue
Bill Caswell leads the Caswell Corporate Coaching Company (CCCC) in Ottawa, www.caswellccc.com or email bill@caswellccc.com.