The Entrepreneurial Team
Most of the articles you see are about "the entrepreneur", the lone wolf, the sole proprietor. In truth most small businesses are a collaboration of several people. No one can do it all. No one has all the good ideas. Someone has to be the backup when another can’t be in place to do their job.
A team spreads the risk and the rewards. A team can do more work than an individual. A team can be more innovative than a single individual. For boomers a team means more time flexibility. In a one person show that person never, never goes on vacation. Most likely you die with your boots on.
In many cases talented boomers are looking for situations that are less demanding on their time then the work they have previously done. For example, sales is a very demanding job. Long hours may be necessary to meet the quota goals of a high powered sales organization. A very talented sales pro may be enticed to work in a smaller organization if they don’t have to carry such a heavy load.
We boomers also are looking for more time flexibility. The time to travel, visit children, just kick back in the afternoons are the things some boomers value. If you can create a team of boomers to run a business everyone may be better off than if you attempt to be some "lone ranger" at the heart of a small business.
Teams of boomers also bring greater flexibility to an enterprise. By definition we have a great depth job experience and maturity. We are able to handle a wide variety of job functions and are not as easily challenged by unusual situations. I would expect that a boomer would have a very refined sense of what makes up good customer service. A boomers ability to apply that level of experience will get and keep customers for any business.
Selecting a team is always difficult, because by definition the choice of members has to be about business. Putting the group of people you have coffee and pie with on Thursday mornings to form a business is a bad idea. People who will be involved in your business group have to have a solid mutual understanding of the level of commitment required to make a business work. Spouses will probably be involved. Commitments may diverge. As in all such endeavors relationships that begin based on business work better than other kinds. If you become friends later that is a bonus.
Tomorrow I’ll begin to delve into the process of selecting team and implementing the business using the boomer team approach.
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POSTED IN: Associates, Being A Boomer, Business Improvements, Mindset, Networking
1 opinion for The Entrepreneurial Team
Kare Anderson
Feb 11, 2007 at 2:25 pm
This well-crafted post really resonated with me - in your many points, and sounds like what i hear when I speak to groups about the power of profitable partnering.
The boomers are especially interested in the camaraderie they can experience with kindred spirits who have different talents. I look forward to reading more of your blog.
- Kare, author, SmartPartnering
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