Thinkspace

thinkspace Turns Two: Reflecting Back

I fall into a classic pitfall that many entrepreneurs fall into — I have a tendency to look so far out at the horizon, pushing and pressing after the goals that have been created.  As I get closer to the goal, I merely just push the finish line further out.  I’ve been told by other successful entrepreneurs and business coaches that I need to celebrate the wins.  They tell me things like I need to slow down and recognize the achievements and celebrate with my team.  Over the last month, I have been taking time to reflect back on the last month, quarter, and now last two years.  Along the way there have been many “wins”.  Here are some of the wins:

Wins

The other day at our 2 year anniversary party, I looked around and saw people that have decided to start their business in the middle of the worst economic climate that we have ever known.  Everything is more challenging than ever before.  A few weeks ago my father said to me “I’ve never seen a financial climate like what we’re experiencing right now, this is really difficult”.  This is coming from a man that has been through way more cycles than I have.  He’s a man that lived through the brutal Boeing layoffs.  He’s a man that used to sleep on a retail store counter with newspapers as a pillow.  When he says something like that to me, I believe him.  So getting through the toughest part of the recession is a win!

Sharing Stories about Wins

There’s a statistic by the SBA that says only 50% of all startups make it to the two year mark.  When I look around, I see entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses, and non-profits that are reinventing themselves and innovating their business models.  Every day, I hear different stories from thinkspace members.  Members come by my office and are telling me that they are getting a new customer every day over the span of a month, or they have twice as many customers as what they projected in their business plan!  These kinds of stories help keep me pressing and I’m inspired.  Entrepreneurship can be lonely, which is why I genuinely love it when other members share their wins with me and I get to reciprocate by sharing my wins.

Be Remarkable

I read a book called Linchpin by Seth Godin.  I highly recommend this book, it was a total thought changer for me.  So much so, that I bought a copy for each of my employees.  In the book, Godin says “We’re in a new economy where outsourcing and automation and the new marketing punish anyone who is merely good, merely obedient, and merely reliable.”  I looked at this statement not only from an individual level but from a business perspective.  I also see examples of this time after time, how businesses inside thinkspace are doing just that, being remarkable.

The Law of Attraction

Like attracts like is at the core of the Law of Attraction.  I’ve heard Paul Anderson, founder of Prolango Consulting, say things in his career seminar that if you’re unemployed and all you’re doing is hanging around unemployed people at WorkSource then that’s what you’re going to be.  However, if you’re looking to be a successful entrepreneur then you need to start hanging around successful entrepreneurs.  So goes the same with thinkspace, if you want a successful business then you need to surround yourself with other successful businesses like the one’s that are inside thinkspace.

Appreciation

We do appreciate each of our members for being here and allowing us to be part of your success.
To view a bunch of photos from the event, here’s our Flickr Stream.