This post is for anyone who is managing or running a company or plans to tackle that dream one day. I’m sharing my thoughts here because I know what it is like to have a Founder’s heart, lose it, and get it back again. I wish I never lost it so the purpose of this piece is to make sure that once you gain it, you never lose it.
Back in 2006, I started Ethos3. It was exciting, scary, and invigorating. I was naive and brave. I was hopeful and romantic. I was gritty and ambitious. I had the heart of an entrepreneur. But something happened several years into the business.
I had more staff, predictable revenue, and processes that worked. The business basically went into cruise control and so did my Founder’s heart. I slowly positioned myself over a two year period in the realm of mediocrity and my heart began to break. I found myself unhappy, depressed, and unfocused. It was at this low point that I realized what I had done but I had no idea how to get back to where I started.
The business was doing well. My staff seemed happy. Heck, I could get hit by a bus and Ethos3 would continue but for how long? That piece was the trigger point for me. I soon realized that I could have a purpose again, and thought perhaps the company does need me. It needs its Founder. It needs its innovator.
It needs the entrepreneur.
As I am restoring my Founder’s heart, here a few lessons that have helped me get plugged back into the soul of my company.
Float
The first years of Ethos3 were built on a laptop at Panera Bread or my breakfast table. Over time, I migrated to an office with a door which have kept me removed from day-to-day operations. Today, I am back at the table. I float around the office taking in the pulse of the organization.
Founder’s Advice: Move around, engage your team, and don’t isolate yourself to an office.
Create
At the core of my being, you will find the heart of an entrepreneur. I love to think big picture. I love to explore. And more importantly, I love to create. Last year, I was able to find and develop a project under Ethos3 that I can’t wait to share with all of you in early 2017. It’s a part of the business that makes it fun to work again.
Founder’s Advice: Create something. Anything. Start blogging. Create a podcast. Write a book.
Simplify
I’m focusing on tasks that I know will add value. I try not to get caught up in drama or to-dos that don’t really matter. Instead, I focus on the big ticket projects or relationships that will actually make a radical difference.
Founder’s Advice: Slice and dice your task list until only the essential items exist. This approach will clear your heart and your mind and position you to work in your areas of strength.
As I wrap up this post, one book on this topic that absolutely changed my life years ago is Michael Gerber’s The E-Myth Revisited. Without getting into too much detail, Mr. Gerber states that every entrepreneur is comprised of 3 personalities:
The Technician (doing day-to-day tasks)
The Manager (focusing on managing people and numbers)
The Entrepreneur (innovating)
A business owner usually doesn’t operate with multiple personalities so only one dominates at any given time. So, the lesson here is that the best business folks learn that they should never let The Entrepreneur die. It should be your primary – always. In other words, don’t lose your Founder’s heart.
