Openminds

This I know to be true – if an entrepreneur runs a business, there are many decisions that are made quickly, often only based on intuition. And, new business efforts are driven by the motto of “you eat what you kill”.

Of course, those characteristics are, by definition, what makes entrepreneurs either wildly successful or just another guy with an idea that flames out quickly in the flash of an eye.

I’m consumed these days with observing the impact of what doing the “wrong” type of business has on the success factors for any organization. This is particularly true in the services industry.

When you are starting up a company it is so easy to skip the step of determining WHOM exactly you want to do business with. You look for revenue and growth, in any form, to validate your model, idea and to keep the engine turning. There is a thought that if you can just get your business started you can always course correct and get to the clients and value proposition you really want, sometime in the not too distant future.

But, the problem is this. By taking on work with organizations that aren’t really buying the real service you want to offer, you end up giving up your ability to be true to what drove you to open the doors in the first place.

All revenue is not created equal. All clients are not good for business. And, the wrong type of business can harm your internal and external values and brand perception in countless ways.

What I have learned is that often the entrepreneur believes that he or she can “fix” the client by working with them and showing them the real service value they deliver. In fact, given your start up situation, the client has the hammer not the service firm. And, if their values are not aligned with yours then no amount of coaching, education and time and effort will change that. What generally happens is their culture can soon becomes yours.

Your company is in fact who you work for. My thought is that if you are running a service organization and want to be known for excellence then you should only do business for firms that have the same values and beliefs you do.

Understanding your unique selling proposition, your key audiences and the messages that will resonate with them is critical from the day you open your doors.

Technorati Tags: Arlene Dickinson, Venture Communications, Entrepreneurship, start ups