It’s a week of firsts, children across the world beginning their first day at school, someone nearby starting their new job, another starting a new business.
I watch the social networks fill up with the trepidation of parents sending their little ones to the big world of primary or secondary school, and it reminded me of a client I have who is about to start a business. Like many others, they think they are alone, almost to the extent that they are in fact the only ones venturing into the scary world of paying their own taxes and owning up to their failures, mistakes and successes.
However, there is a certain quietness out there, beyond the madness of the noise in our heads as we endeavour to jump-start our new business. That quietness is also full of noise and busy-ness. What only the experienced business owner will realise is that even though starting a business is daunting, there are people out there who are watching, minding, and wishing us well. They are throwing us tit-bits of information and help, enough for us to catch on to, but not obvious hand-outs.
“To background voices, calling from a distance,
Silent partners, listen to the hush Silent partners, you know they don’t say nothing at all”
~ Pat Benatar (The Silent Partners)
These silent partners read our blog-posts, read our tweets, provide clicks and unique visits to our websites, or in the case of back-links. They talk about our businesses to their friends and families, or indeed at networking events.
We often think of the real helpers as banks, enterprise boards, mentors, coaches, and they are always in our sights as we drive our new business out of the safety of our dreams into broad daylight.
If you are starting a business, or in the process of expanding, think of the silent partners helping you quietly propel your business and your confidence to the next level.
Felix Dennis, author of “How to get rich” talks of the Sharks (investors, hedge-fund managers etc), the lesser deadly dolphins (venture capitalists) and then there are the fish (seed capitalists). The fish are the people who are close to us, and support us no matter what. These are the quiet swimmers who provide the network, the confidence and the unconditional “love” that we so desperately need as a start-up. They will help nurture our business without the demands of the dolphins or the blood hungry threats of the sharks.
Seek out your shoal, swim with the fish, and tap into the resources that are on offer for your new business. But most of all, remember the most important person in your new business – YOU! You are the goose that lays the golden eggs. Protect your eggs, but look after the goose.
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