Staying the course

THE first month of the second quarter of the year is coming to an end and I am nervous.

I am not sure about you, but I think there are many things to be nervous about for entrepreneurs.

One, will we be able to meet our sales target and make a profit?

Will our products and services continue to be well received?

Will our brand shine on and keep getting “likes” on Facebook? Will clients sign the contract and pay us on time?

Will the star talent that we have been nurturing for years in the company stay on or join a competitor just because they offer him twice the pay?

Will the projects that we have committed to deliver to our clients run smoothly?

As we start each financial year, there are always new hopes, new dreams and ideals.

We start the race with a new burst of energy, but midway in the race to the finishing line we may see the goal in front of us and yet it looks so far. Tiredness creeps in, doubts too.

Will we make it? Will we finish strong?

Will everything grind to a screeching halt or come crumbling down if we are just to let go for a moment?

In my staff meeting recently, one of the interns shared her aspiration to be a businesswoman one day when I asked her what motivates her to reach her goals.

The world of employment does not hold much attraction in her eyes — she wants the bigger and more exciting things that come with entrepreneurship.

I can see she is very motivated to become an entrepreneur.

But who and what motivates the entrepreneur?

Basically, as entrepreneurs, there has to be an element of self-motivation.

If we are employed, we may have colleagues, bosses and friends who will motivate us in our work.

But if we are our own boss and when the buck stops with us, who can we look to for motivation?

Yes, we can have friends, mentors, partners who can cheer and encourage us as we go along, but ultimately the best motivation needs to come from within — to know the purpose of doing what we do.

Otherwise, it will be hard to maintain that focus day in and day out — that unyielding zeal and passion for running a business.

This is particularly true for businesses whereby the entrepreneur is the only so-called “expert” in the company (something I have written about in an earlier article).

Can you imagine what will happen to the company if the brain or face behind the company is no longer there?

For some companies, depending on their business model and engagement method, maybe everything will come crumb- ling down.

For example, a clinic that has only one doctor or a music label that only has one rock star.

So, to me, being an entrepreneur can be a very nerve-racking experience.

Sure, I do not have the anxiety that I used to have when I was an employee.

My worries then were about whether I would get a promotion, increment or the sack.

Sure, I do not need to deal with the office politics now that I am the boss and call the shots.

But as an entrepreneur, now I am nervous about business sustainability.

It is much like giving birth to a child.

When the child (or business idea) is conceived, there is exhilaration.

When it is born, there are new hopes and energy.

Then as the child grows, we learn about responsibility and that, like it or not, we have to bring the child up, until it is mature enough to take care of itself.

Entrepreneurs cannot just resign from a job and walk away.

Technically, we can, but there are also other things to think about — the staff, the customers and the suppliers to whom we all owe a responsibility.

So I am writing this article technically to motivate myself.

And if you need some motivation too, remember we are not alone in this entrepreneurship journey.

Know the purpose behind your business, stay the course and keep going.

Do not look back and do not give up.

Jeanisha thinks there is a lot to learn from the Lord of the Rings character, Frodo. As Galadriel said to Frodo, “Even the smallest person can change the course of the future”. Talk to Jeanisha at [e-mail]