"If you don't understand business and the whole idea of economics and ecology, and sociology, you cannot be an entrepreneur." [quote adapted from Hartmut Esslinger interview about design]
You should pay attention to the backgrounds and stories of these 5 entrepreneurs. It's in the details that you learn the most -- and they give away quite a bit of detail, given how they make their income. The first thing you need to understand as you read these profiles is that although these entrepreneurs all built a platform with their blogs, your blog is not a business.
David Ridley says it better: blogs don't make money. Businesses do. [hat tip Larry Brooks]
I view these professionals as part of the same human team as you and I, each expressing what they bring to the table in unique ways, according to what they choose to do. They all have one thing in common: the commit to and plan their hard work and success, they live in the important vs. urgent quadrant.
The moment you blame, you lose: Jonathan Fields
The image I picked for him (hope you'll forgive me, Jonathan) is attached to an amazing post about accountability, working hard, and earning a seat at the attention table.
As I've been reading post after post about his plans for 2010, I notice the clear language, and the concrete resolve to align, build, collaborate, signal, impact, eliminate, give, and teach with the gratitude of someone who is mindful and in the present.
Lest you think this is a bit too touchy-feely for you, take a look at his background. He graduated on the top of his class and was a was a hedge-fund/securities lawyer, first for the S.E.C. and then for Manhattan mega-firm, Debevoise & Plimpton.
I'm loving his posts on business strategy, which he categorizes as entrepreneurship -- this is the stuff you learn from the most, looking at different models, what's under the hood, how they compare, how to think through questions to ask. This is a beautiful mind at work.
The little things matter. Do them: Chris Guillebeau His mission is to help people live unconventional lives, make their own choices, and change the world. We talked about his philosophy and work here before.
The name of his site is the Art of Non Conformity, where he offers Unconventional Guides -- a series of high-value/low-priced eBooks and mixed-media courses that solve very specific problems.
The most notable aspect of his work to me has been his ability to attract a small army of remarkable people who are committed to his -- and by reflection their -- success.
I love his series on world domination. Any day you need a bit of an adjustment on life and thinking, check in with these posts.
He's a self-described massive consumer of technology, living and participating in the heart of Silicon Valley.
And now thanks in part of the platform he built with his blog since 2006, has become the Managing Director of New Media at Paladin Advisors Group, a new consultancy focused on Marketing, Public Relations, Sales Process, New Media and Advisory.
Are we transitioning from institutional thinking to networked thinking as Thomas Powers says here? Louis has been one to call it like he sees it in technology -- early stage, or adopted -- and online.
He worked on his own (stealth) start up for five to six months before launching into it full time. Just because he's so prolific in his writing about technology, and the company just sort of popped up, don't make the assumption that it wasn't and isn't hard work.
He's a master of tools. See his whole presentation on using the right filters to find signal in the real time noise.
Your business is worthless if it depends on you: John Jantsch Think of John as the small business marketing coach who's been giving lots of practical advice and content away for free at Duct Tape Marketing. Those words I used in the intro were meant to make you reflect about creating a business as an asset.
John picked the best name for his site and blog and has very much a no nonsense approach. Many business owners don't have the shiny object syndrome about tools many marketers have, I find, and his direct style no doubt appeals to them.
Many small businesses are time strapped, and no doubt appreciate the resources John puts into each post -- I grab several ideas every time.
You can have both your soul and success for your business: Sonia Simone She's my kind of marketer -- for people who hate marketing. In fact, she defines herself as a relationship counselor for businesses. If you want to test her remarkable communications methodology, sign up for free e-classes.
In addition to her business, Sonia is senior editor at Copyblogger, and one of the founders of the Third Tribe Marketing community, where I'm currently a member.
What I like most about Sonia is her clarity of purpose in everything she writes (and does) -- here are 50 things your customers wish you knew, for example -- and the fact that she had a previous life in corporate America.
***
Their lessons are not lost on me. I've been learning a lot from each one in the last couple of years and changing the way I work and think about business problems.
The point is not to be perfect -- a guru. The point is to choose to be remarkable, and knowing that it comes at a price -- hard work. Every day,
they win the battle of attitude and approach over the cards they're
dealt.
Who are you learning from? What's most notable to you about them?
© 2010 Valeria Maltoni. All rights reserved.