Recently I stumbled again on this moving story of a snail:
The Leap of Faith has this curious characteristic of being unknown, unsure, obscure – this is way it’s called so – you are based on FAITH and nothing more. So far – Duh.
Comes the day you want have to make a choice – you gonna do this startup or not? The only way to determine the success is to list the risk factors that can bring it down, and to list the good things that can make it live. I want to turn your attention to one fact – the risks are clearly visible, but the steps to success are not. Consequently your natural instinct is NOT to start a venture, because you see so many risks. This is the moment where you have to close your eyes and Leap. Example:
The first thing I started was a web development company. Client sites for cash. Here is how it looked to me at the decision moment:
- I didn’t have any support, which I only realized lately.
- I had no knowledge on how to spread the word about the new player on market for websites -> I couldn’t see how to get clients
- I had no money -> I couldn’t hire anyone
- I didn’t have money for real office or extra equipment -> couldn’t look professional in the eyes of clients
- I didn’t know how to make sites fast and professional -> didn’t have the right self esteem
These are all very specific problems that I can name, explain in details how they relate to my future failure. However none of the good stuff could be well defined to draw the steps to success. I did pay all taxes for a company, did form it, and did open my living room as an office. Here is what happened:
- It turned out I had huge support from friends, family, relatives. All of them helped me in any way they could. Found friendly lawyers, accountants to do work almost or for free, found clients. Could I have listed those specific situations in calculating the success? No.
- I know that even without professional full blown ads, I get constantly new clients from friends of friends. I could have included some of those specific clients forwarded by friends in my initial calculations? No.
- So it turned out I did have some clients, and I did have money I couldn’t have predicted => I did have a programmer I couldn’t have predicted.
- It turned out I did not need an office and extra equipment. Still operating from my apartment.
- I stumbled upon a few people that really opened my eyes on how to improve on the process – make it fast and efficient. Could I have predicted this stumbling? No.
In the end, mgPePe LLC is growing, getting clients, making cash – what it was born to do. But slowly I am realizing that the people I have attracted around it now give me the possibility to develop all kinds of inhouse projects that most probably will turn into beautiful startups that will one day change the world.
Did I predict the difficulties that would be associated with my business? Yes. Could I have seen all the things that helped me get through? No.
Take the Leap of Faith. You will find that Faith is not the only support you will find along the way.