Do You Have What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur?
Business is picking up, and so are my networking activities. Of course, a lot of my networking lately is about creating "buzz" for my new book, "Fighting Alligators." Perhaps, you have heard about it. Creating buzz is an indirect way to attract new searches, consulting business, and help those people between jobs, so it is all good. One recent networking meeting was brokered by my friend Brownell who has been very helpful in the process of publishing my book. Brownell introduced me to Mark Myette. Mark is also in private practice as an Alternative Career Coach. He helps people determine if they have what it takes to become an entrepreneur and guides them through that process. He published his first book, Wantrepreneur, in February. Brownell surmised that our work is complementary, so she thought we would be able to help each other.
Mark and I scheduled an early morning meeting last week for breakfast at his club. As we are both Fortune 500 refugees with similar entrepreneurial pursuits, we connected immediately. We began by exchanging background information and our connection to Brownell. I told him about Fighting Alligators and its underlying thesis, and he presented the theme for "Wantrepreneur," which he described as the "One Minute Manager" version of becoming comfortable with franchising. The book's subtitle is "Do you have what it takes to become an entrepreneur?" Wantrepreneur is a clever bit of “word-smithing” that speaks to people who would like to be their own boss, but can’t or don’t know how to get started. Mark's book dovetails nicely with Fighting Alligator's message about building a career in the "New Normal."
To say that it was a productive meeting would be a gross understatement. Mark gave me a copy of his book and an intelligent bookmark he created as a marketing tool. He confirmed my thinking that the opportunity for speaking engagements would increase significantly now that I am published. We explored ways to collaborate, and help each other. Some follow-up steps were discussed and confirmed.
Over the next few days, I made a point to read Mark's book. He was right about the reference to the One Minute Manager. Wantrepreneur is a short read, but very much to the point. Much of the book summarized the current employment statistics and trends in small company formation and related career opportunities. He also broke down employment by industry sector with each sector’s contribution to GDP. He went on to talk about the general dissatisfaction many people have toward their jobs, especially the middle-aged. These folks are not happy with their careers and want to find a new situation, something more fulfilling. I am confident that job security is a major part of their angst. Mark spoke to an epidemic of addiction, depression, and suicides among this group, rooted in economic despair and hopelessness. People are looking to create a better life by "doing their own thing."
The remainder of Mark’s book is about defining alternate career options, including entrepreneurial pursuits, so the reader can better understand each path. Finally, he presented a template to assist in determining one's suitability for those options.
Mark did a thorough job describing the New Normal, without getting into cause and effect. The current economic situation is part of a much larger transformation as we move further into the Digital Age. Traditional employment is in a state of flux. There is no going back to an earlier time. Understanding the current playing field and one's options is a critical first step to building a successful career in the New Normal. Wantrepreneur is an excellent companion to Fighting Alligators, which I recommend to anyone who is serious about managing their career. Wantrepreneur by Mark Myette is available on Amazon.com.
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Jim Weber, President
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
www.newcenturydynamics.com