“The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost
I discovered this quote while reading “Business Stripped Bare” by Richard Branson. I am a huge fan of Richard Branson and his unique way of building his business, but only just recently started reading his books. “Business Stripped Bare” is the first book of his I am reading, based on a recommendation from Tito Phillips, Jnr. at his blog Naijapreneur – I wish I would have done so much earlier.
The opening quote made me reflect upon my experience as an entrepreneur. There are many times along my entrepreneurial journey that I wanted to turn back. In fact, it felt easier at some points to give up the dream and just go back to my former corporate life. But just as the Robert Frost quote states, it’s easier to push through to the other side than turn back or change course. There is a sense of relief that a great business leader such as Richard Branson had experienced this same thought at one time or another, but had overcome the challenge.
Once you have evolved and your mind has opened, you can never really go back. And in all fairness, why would you want to? The alleviation of short term pain is an incentive, but that benefit will quickly fade when compared to what you would be giving up – the value built in your business. Each day that is spent building the business, value is being built, and you are that much closer to success, although it may not always feel like it at times.
As you work your way to success challenges must be overcome. In the beginning some feel daunting, such as selecting a business name and incorporating, but in hindsight these same difficult challenges will appear easy. Once you have the earliest challenges figured out, additional challenges must be overcome to include generating an initial product idea, productizing said idea and developing a path to commercialization, determining product/market fit, scaling the business, and ultimately defending the business from competitors when the sleeping giants awake.
This does not even cover operational or financial challenges which will be many and frequent, especially early in the business.
Many challenges must be overcome in order to build a successful, scalable business. These daunting challenges will tempt you to veer from the path from time-to-time. Don’t do it, push on through. After all:
“The best way out is always through.”
References
1. Naijapraneur: http://www.naijapreneur.com/
2. Richard Branson. Business Stripped Bare:
