Connecting People and Planet – Investing in entrepreneurs to build a sustainable world
I want to spend time on something I really enjoy. Something that I have not done for a long time. Maybe never done. Get a massage. Go for an extended walk. Take my daughter to the zoo. Go to lunch with my wife or even better – make love in the middle of the day. I’d love to it during a time that I would normally spend at work. But then I think, I work 10-12 hours a day and I am still busy. How can I ever deal with all the stuff on my desk. Leaving all that…
Time is our most valuable resource. We all have a set quantity – nothing can change that. But we do have absolute control over the quality of each hour. In theory at least. My practice needs to improve. How can I eliminate activities that waste time? How do I free time by selecting to do the right activities? How do I invest time in my team for the ultimate return: more time for myself? Time Management Time Management deals with the efficient use of time. It helps to get things done and to reduce stress. It is focused on…
I love working in teams. The excitement of sharing the wins, the challenge of finding ways that take everyone’s interest into account, the joy of interaction. That is why I have started a few businesses with employees, way before they (the businesses) or I were ready for it. Financially it was suicide. Learning from that, I decided to build a business with what I could handle. The plan was to grow it to such a state that I would be able to pay someone else from the cash-flow generated. I had heard this rule: If the business can afford…
Producing events always meant that we had a clear deadline. The date for the event was clear at the start of the preparations. It was great, it took out one of the variables in what the event could be like. In business, it is a lot more flowing. It is very easy to fall into the trap of improving, rather than getting something out there. It is probably one of the inventor diseases. To overcome that, I set a date: 31 May 2008, the date of our launch. And to make it even more serious, we committed to being…
After working as a consultant for the past 4 years, I have finally taken the jump into starting my own business. I mean, real business, not just consulting. Once the idea was clear, I looked for a partner. That was the best decision, because it brought clarity and focus to my idea. He kept pestering me about proving the business model before committing too much time and money to it. On one hand I think with more money, we’ll have much bigger impact. On the other hand, I can see the wisdom of starting with a bare bones business…
When I start working with entrepreneurs, I always ask them about their personal vision. In the beginning I was impressed if someone was honest enough to tell me that they just want to grow the business, sell it and then do … and their eyes would light up while they told me about the plans they had for their life after the sale. As I said, in the beginning I was impressed by that. Not any more. Now I put a lot more emphasis on focus. Outstanding entrepreneurs seem to be doing exactly what they are passionate about. They…
I spoke to an entrepreneur today. He is currently seeking funding to bring a new product to market. The product sounds fantastic in what it does and how it does it. I do not want to share any details, but it is a cosmetic product. We spoke about the gaps in his business plan. I had pointed them out while preparing an information memorandum for him. One gap was: proof. What is proof? Had they done any clinical studies? No. OK, the costs are several $100,000 Had they done any studies with friends and acquaintances? No. He did not…
As I sit here today, reviewing what I have written yesterday, there is one big question in my mind: How do I move forward now? Paul Lemberg has an answer. Well, he has a few questions in his post: How to engineer a breakthrough (on demand.) that lead to an answer. (Paul has written the book: Be Unreasonable the unconventional way to extraordinary business results.) Here are his questions: What am I trying to accomplish? I want sustainability to spread through the Australian business world. What are some of the ways that can happen? Media work that educates entrepreneurs…
This is one of the latest books written by an ethical entrepreneur. It is released in the US tomorrow. Joel Makeower has spoken to Gary Hirshberg and read an advanced copy. He is full of praise, calling this book much more than the usual “success stories of socially-minded entrepreneurs that tend to border on vanity publishing.” This one is “an easy, enjoyable read, inspiring and informative, integrating his [Hirshberg’s] personal journey with insights and takeaways for others”. You can order it at Amazon.
This website is an excellent resource for any sustainable entrepreneur. One of the interviews is about ethical investing. The crux is that ethical investors are not happy with reduced rates of return. On the contrary, they want to invest just as safely and with the same rates of return as a “normal” investor, except social and environmental guidelines also need to be met. That is such a great piece of advice. It takes away all airy fairy wishful thinking that just because we do something good, should we come under any less scrutiny. And it confirms my belief: being…