Blake Hoffarber and Start Ups
By GL Hoffman
By now, you have probably heard about Blake.
He is the Hopkins, MN, basketball player who last week made an
incredible game saving basket in the state championship game while
lying on his back! He is a high school sophomore and this
week he was on ESPN's SportCenter and even on the
Today Show.
His last second desperation shot could teach everyone a thing or
two who are considering getting into business for themselves.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Here he was off balance sliding across the floor and the loose ball
appeared in his hands. Literally, one second left on the clock.
- Did he wonder if this was the best time to take a shot? No, he did it.
- Had he practiced this shot a lot at home? No, not once.
- Was there a chance it would not go in? Are you kidding?
- Did he think about the glory that making this shot would bring him? No.
- Did he want to win? For sure.
If you are thinking about getting started in your own business
at any level, remember what this kid taught us.
Most people are dreamers. There is a big
difference between thinking about being in your own business and
actually doing it. Advice givers often say to get prepared, analyze
the market carefully, get the plan written, prepare for every
contingency, do the research…and then get
started. Sometimes it is ok to just take a shot. Get
started.
Practice is good. Your experiences to date are all
relevant. But I am not sure you can practice at being an
entrepreneur without actually becoming one. You can prepare
for taking the shot, and all of your experiences will help you
solve problems even if you have not see the specific issue
before.
Don't worry about the stats. On average, all adults have one
testicle and one ovary…so averages can be a bit
misleading. Don't worry so much about whether your business will
make it…or what the odds are. The odds are pretty
bad if you do not do it.
Do not start one for the glory.
This might be a future article. I think lots of folks want to be in
their own business. They do love hearing about your success, or
future success, because it helps motivate them. But if you are only
in it for the glory…I am not sure if that alone
is worth the journey.
The driving force has to be that you want to win.
The closer you can align this goal with the goal of helping a
customer group with your service or product, the more successful
you will be. The ‘want-to' is greater than the
‘how to.'
I would like to know the statistics on this, but my perception is
that a lot of people want to be in business for
themselves. The reasons vary. But, if you are one of
them, just remember it is not only about giving it a shot. Getting
started alone does not guarantee success. Blake's shot might have
missed. Lots of new businesses do fail. You do need to
be prepared. Was Blake's shot a once-in-a-lifetime shot? Turns
out, no. Under the glare of TV lights, he made it again.
