Do you work for a boss with conflicting values or unreasonable expectations? Do you find yourself in a no-win situation? Are you working a dead-end job?
Do you feel unhappy? Unfulfilled? Disgruntled? Unappreciated? Underutilized?
Do you have books such as The No Asshole Rule in your backpack and songs like Take This Job and Shove It? in your playlist?
Then you may be a candidate for what I call “creative entrepreneurship.”
An entrepreneur is a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, especially a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk.
A creative entrepreneur utilizes creativity combined with initiative to minimize the risk of an enterprise.
Here are five creative steps I have applied to entrepreneurial endeavors which have enabled me to become my own boss…and live to enjoy (and yes, perhaps even gloat about) it!
2.) Examine where your passion intersects a need. This intersection indicates a possible business opportunity. The key is to examine the size of the need and whether a percentage of the potential market can sustain your financial needs.
3.) Evaluate the competition. We have millions of dollars of market research technology at our fingertips. It’s called “Google.” Research the companies that are currently supplying your potential market.
4.) Engage a social networking strategy. If it’s free, it’s for me. The tools of social networking (Twitter, Facebook, etc) can be combined to form a powerful marketing platform that will help in building and informing a niche market (a tribe, if you will) for your product. And they are FREE!
5.) Enact the “3 C’s.” (Converge. Center. Create.) I talk much more about this all-important strategy during my 48 Hours of Solitude mentorship opportunity at the mentees request. Suffice it to say, there must be a concentrated look at the overall potential of the market, a centered focus of the need, and a creative execution of a good strategy.
What say you? Can you add to this?
Questions? Thoughts?
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Twitter: fmckinnon
November 15, 2010 at 7:20 am #
Randy,
Great post … I’ll be sure and block this post from my e-biz employees!
When is the next 48-Hours of Solitude?
@Fred McKinnon,
@Fred McKinnon, ha!!! You say when on the 48 Hrs of Solitude?
Social networking is not free per se, it requires time to build that community and invest in it and sometimes the ROI is not worth it. There are better ways of getting customers such as actually going out and making real connections.
@Henway, I understand your point, especially considering our time spent is not free. I’ll have to disagree with you about a better way to get customers, at least in my experience. thanks for joining the conversation.
Twitter: gailhyatt
November 15, 2010 at 8:04 am #
Wow, Randy. This is some great stuff!
It’s really getting me thinking. Even in an economy when people are wanting to hang on to their jobs at all costs, this is really worth exploring. Even for someone who doesn’t have an awful boss, or any boss for that matter, it’s really worth exploring. Humm …
And you, my friend, can really speak to this. Especially #2 “where your passions intersect a need.” You have discovered many passions which intersect needs and we’re richer for it. Your love for connecting, social networking, great food, wine, art, music, expression, travel, authenticity, justice, etc. have intersected with lots of needs, mine included, and encouraged others to learn more, grow more, experience more and live more. You’ve been mentoring others like me, from afar, and may not have even know it. Thank you.
I’ll be reading this again with much more pondering. Not sure I’m a candidate for creative entrepreneurship, but I’m definitely willing to consider. Humm …
@Gail Hyatt, thanks, Gail, however I will Need to disagree with you as well. I think you would be a GREAT candidate for creative entrepreneurship.
Twitter: chadjarnagin
November 15, 2010 at 8:25 am #
I REALLY like this Randy. I believe that this might even help someone that might feel hopelessly stuck in a dysfunctional situation.
The weight in your suggestions is where it’s at. Your words have been moved and prompted from your experience. That’s why we all can listen and learn from this; on both sides, as we lead people as well as follow others. Thanks.
@Chad Jarnagin, Thanks, Chad. Yep, the good and bad of experience usually proves the best teacher!
Great…. 5 more thing to add to my “To Do List”. (Said in a “Eeyore” voice) HA!
This is awesome. Thanks for distilling it all down, Randy.
@Mark Bovee, Thanks, Mark. Hope this adds to our mentoring discussion.
Twitter: Kylereed
November 15, 2010 at 12:08 pm #
I think everyone should be a creative entrepreneur.
It seems that jobs are changing and the whole idea of just getting a 9-5 is out the window, and I am thankful for that.
The first one is big for me. Seeing something and wondering why someone doesn’t do something about it drives the curiosity in me find some sort of solution.
@Kyle Reed, Thanks, Kyle. Yes, at times I envy your age and thirst for knowledge and courage to write comments like this. the old days, they are a’dyin!
Twitter: Kylereed
November 15, 2010 at 3:37 pm #
@Randy Elrod,
Funny thing is I often envy your age and wisdom
Twitter: tamhodge
November 15, 2010 at 2:18 pm #
I am going to apply tip #1 to my boss now.
laundry.
“Why doesn’t somebody do something about ______ ?”
@tam, Hmmmmm. not sure I can help you with that boss!! ha.
Excellent post. If you can find a case for #2, then you have a great opportunity. Thank you for sharing.
@Benjamin Lichtenwalner, Thanks, Benjamin. yes, it is an amazing thing. just watched the movie “Up In The Air” and this point about doing a job you are passionate about seems even more vital!
Twitter: glhoffman
November 15, 2010 at 3:23 pm #
Good stuff, Mr.Elrod–
I have been doing startups for 30 years and always believe that there is gold in re arranging old things in new ways.
BTW, if any of your readers want my pdf book FREE StartUp, 100 Tips To Get Your Business Going, I am happy to email it to them.
Free, no catches, no hidden agenda
@GL Hoffman, Thanks so much!
@GL Hoffman, I’d love a copy of that eBook please!
Twitter: chrisjeub
November 15, 2010 at 3:29 pm #
Great stuff, Randy. I’d add this: Turn your good idea (i.e. your passion) into a product that can sell. This can create supplemental income, or even be done as a hobby.
I’d also throw this in: entrepreneurship is worth it even if you love your job. The freedom is something I wouldn’t trade for twice the pay.
@Chris Jeub, Thanks, Chris. Your comment is great stuff as well. Very true!!
It does. I remember the first 2 from our discussion.
@Mark Bovee, Perfect!!
Check marks, on five and two-thirds of your points. As we speak, I’m in the “creative execution” phase of a plan that’s been 25 years in the making. The moment is now. Good feeling after reading your post. Thanks Randy.
@Gordon Marcy, Wow!!! Gordon, yes my plan was twenty-nine years in the making. I am pumped for you!!
Twitter: Spencesmith
November 15, 2010 at 7:19 pm #
posts like this always make me evaluate where i am in life! thanks randy!
@Spence Smith, Thanks, Spence!!! You are the ultimate creative entrepreneur. Love it!!
Twitter: glhoffman
November 15, 2010 at 9:16 pm #
Just email me at GL@LinkUp.com and I will email it to you.
@GL Hoffman, Thanks so much!
Twitter: EBolvi
November 15, 2010 at 9:31 pm #
Thanks for this post, Randy. I currently work for a church and am passionate about what I do. But I feel God has put within me an ambition, coupled with a few creative ideas, that have the chance to allow me to be my own boss and pour into those around me in a whole new way. This posts continues to affirm those ambitions for me. Your post on “Undoing The Doing” was also an encouragement toward this route. Thanks for your insight and willingness to share with us!
@Ethan Bolvi, Thanks, Ethan. Wow, you sound much like me! Blessings!
Twitter: jeffgoins
December 6, 2010 at 11:30 pm #
Very apt, Randy. Thanks for this post – very helpful tips here. What I love about this is that you’re living what you’re teaching.
Randy, I was thinking this for a while, but how long can we trust google, already google is doing a lot of favors for advertisers with their instant search, who knows what will come next…? I am a bit concerned about this now.
Beth