Entrepreneurial Truths Part 2

This is a continuation of the article from the last week of Entrepreneurial Truths. As an entrepreneur, there are constant stresses, pressures, the feelings that you have. It’s something that I believe that all of us as entrepreneurs go through on a daily, if not certainly weekly basis. Let’s look at another one of those here.

Responsibility. You as an entrepreneur are responsible for charting your own success and vision of your company, but also for those that you employ. Your decisions can often impact the lives of hundreds of people. It’s an extreme weight to bear when one thinks of it, but one that has been weighing on my mind heavily recently. You’re responsible for helping to put food on your team’s tables, money to pay rent, clothes on their backs, helping fund their kids’ education and many other things.

Hiring someone is always a good thing. Firing someone is not always a good thing. Before you do that, know that your responsibility is also to yourself. Have you done everything possible to set them up for success in your company? Have you provided them with the proper training and tools necessary to perform their job to the highest standards that you set forth? Have they been tested periodically throughout their employment to see if they are still achieving that level of success that you desire? If they have, are you rewarding them? How? If they haven’t then how are you working together to correct the issue?

Write this out. Have a plan moving forward so they know when they are back to achieving levels that you want them to be at.

Measure client feedback and employee feedback regarding their performance. Your clients and fellow team members are best to be your eyes and ears. If you don’t have a team then pick up the phone and call the venue or photographer they last worked with. How did that go? Hindsight is always 20/20 but it’s important to examine what else you could have done to make for a better outcome for that current situation.

You also have a responsibility to yourself and your family. Are you running your business or is your business running you? Do you take time out for a vacation? If so, once a year, twice a year? Do you take a mental break to recharge or have date nights with your spouse? It’s important for your spouse and you to be on the same plan as you move forward in life together and that you are both working together to whatever that end goal might be (in our case retirement by age 55).

Never forget about your kids if you have them as well.

What time are you spending with them? Is it also including screen time (with cell phones out) or is it TRUE face time? My daughter and I LOVE to play softball together and I have worked hard to provide her with an opportunity to succeed in that arena as well, among other areas where she has shown interest. My son and I have chats on the way to Drivers Ed (yes, I am old enough to have a son in Drivers Ed) and that has done wonders for our relationship as well.

Responsibility. It’s time to put on your big boy pants and ADULT. It’s time to measure how responsible you really are.