Entrepreneurs Need a Mentor

You are a successful entrepreneur and leader, one who has made the right choices and made equally as many mistakes along the way. You now know all the right things to do when starting a business. If this sounds like you then I have a request. As entrepreneurs we need to take an active interest in making sure all entrepreneurs and small business owners are successful. Simply put, entrepreneurs are the future of this country and are the key to our survival in the future. YOU can ensure this success not only for yourself but for someone else who is getting ready to launch down the path that you have already traveled.

The United States of America needs as many successful small businesses as possible. And we all need to make sure that happens-soon!

Ah the excitement of a vision when it becomes a reality: starting your own business. You know exactly what you want to do to make your dream a reality, starting on a shoestring budget and a dream. Yes a dream and then one thing becomes a glaring reality. A moment when most entrepreneurs realize, Hey, wait a minute! You mean I have to do all of those other things that come with running a business like accounting, management, hiring, IT, and so much more. All of a sudden the dream gets a bit cloudy and panic sets in.

Yes you were there once or maybe you are just getting started as an entrepreneur after a long career at one of those BIG companies that promised to take care of you for the rest of your life.

For those of you who are in a position to help the new entrepreneurs I ask that you seek them out. Hopefully someone did the same for you. And if you are the new entrepreneur then actively seek out those people who you know have already been there. Ask them nicely if they can help you. One thing that keeps a lot of entrepreneurs from being successful is PRIDE. It’s okay to not have all the answers. It’s okay to be the dumb one in the room. But when you ask for help be sure you listen and take great notes. It will save you a lot of time, money and frustration.

What great advice did someone give you when you were starting out?

A few good books I like to recommend for the entrepreneur are listed below. Most of them are quick reads but have great tips and examples.

There are plenty more that I’m sure are as good. Let me know what they are and I will put them on my list.

Erik Hultman (a.k.a. E) is the Founder and President of ÜberBlueDM, Inc., specializing in Social Media Solutions and Social Media Staffing Solutions for businesses to build their social media success.

To Outsource or Not to Outsource? That is the Wednesday Question

Which services make the most sense for your business to outsource? Or are you uncomfortable releasing control to experts outside of the company? Many small business owners go into business because of a passion they have for what they do. Being good at something doesn’t always translate to being a great entrepreneur or business owner. I recommend reading, “The E Myth Revisited” by Michael Gerber, @emyth. Michael does a fantastic job speaking to the entrepreneurs (present and future) as he helps to dispel the myths of the reality vs. fantasy of owning your own your own business.

More Details. . .

Many of us go into business as specialists in our fields. But let’s face it we aren’t all experts at everything nor are we gifted with all of the skills required for owning a business. Some of us have decent math skills but we don’t know everything about the accounting as it relates our business. Some of us have computer skills but that doesn’t mean we can diagnose and solve the technical problems when they arise. Yet these are skills required to run many of our businesses. Some small business owners have to stop being penny wise and pound foolish. So I ask the question once again in a slightly different way, “Would it make sense for you to outsource tasks if it saves you time and money? Would outsourcing free you up so you can handle the important work?” Clearly the answer will be different for all of us.

Time for your answers. . .

Have a suggestion for a future question? Email me at EHultman@UberBlueDM.com

Erik Hultman (a.k.a. E) is the Founder and President of ÜberBlueDM, Inc., specializing in Social Media Solutions and Social Media Staffing Solutions for businesses to build their social media success.

If you’re not completely satisfied with your Social Media program or solution it’s time for a change! Give us a call! But don’t just make a change for the sake of change. Understand why it makes sense first. Questions? Send me a note at ehultman@uberbluedm.com or call me at (847) 498-5494. Thank you for referring us to a friend.