A Role Model, A Mentor, 4, Points and 3, Messages for Doing-Your-Own-Business and making it an Enterprising Life

Even if I never appreciated my Father as a Role Model until too late

In 2015, on leaving the stultifying correctness and inaccuracies being delivered under the pious proclamations of ‘labour is not a commodity’ I looked back to the 1980s, particularly 1987. In 1987 Tony Robinson OBE had me go learn the Durham Business School ‘Start Your Own Business’ approach. I further listened to, and revisited the work of Tony RobinsonOBE, Prof Alan Gibb and other influential people working on entrepreneurial development, enterprise and business support. Reading and listening to others working on social considerations of popular capitalism.

Insightful people saw change was coming. Whether it was the change we wanted was, is, up to us since the life we live is the life we create for ourselves; individually and, more importantly, collectively.

Some points to work on for all and any of us:-

Experience without knowledge means you keep doing it wrong in trail and error fashion.

Knowledge without experience means you tell things to other people but do not hear anything to answer — ‘And so what?’.

So what?

Lesson 1 Learned — Value quality people around you.

I am very lucky to have worked for, with, a great number of excellent people with tremendous knowledge and skills. Very different skillsets. Two people stand out for specific reasons:-

My father and shaper: Bernard Crook. A natural businessperson who turned his passion and love of gardening into a business of significance by building a reputation for quality few could rival let alone emulate. His successes were never overstated; they spoke for themselves through reputational marketing. Being presented with a silver medal, by Her Majesty, the Queen Mother, at Chelsea Flower Show was a manifestation of his care for detail in delivering the practical parts of a business strategy, creating decent work for others whilst always, always, taking pride in what was done in the business’ name and reputation.

My mentor: Tony Robinson. A business science maestro who earned himself an OBE for services to small business across the UK. #payinthirtydays, #excludedUK and various micro and small business associations and networks will note Tony for their foundations. His passion also, always, shines through — A belief in what he does backed by facts. He will challenge himself to ensure continued growth of people around him and their own businesses and enterprises.

What to draw from quality people:-

- Help others and you help yourself

- Reputation is built on quality the customer wants and needs. And will appreciate

- Respect is earned by honesty and belief in what you offer to your customers, competitors, collaborators, contemporaries, peers and progeny.

Learning Lesson 2 — Drink in all experience, devour knowledge

Blend the art and science with the instinct, experience and knowledge of managing and leading people allowing your business to thrive.

The insight is there, as are basics well beyond the usual get your marketing mix right and ensure you have a proper cash flow. Talk with others who are running their own businesses. Question the ‘pat’ solutions not backed by insightful knowledge.

Think on this — Most of us are employed to pay for what we want to do at other times.

Some have made the moves to have lifestyle businesses.

Some, a growing number it seems, are caught thinking they are working for themselves but, in essence, are working for a landlord, the bank, the hope of a gig economy turning into a gig for life-changing.

Some are inventing and innovating and creating decent work for themselves and others.

Look, listen, learn and adapt and adopt to your own motivations and incentives.

Lesson Learned 3 — Ask questions of yourself through other people

Talk with others as to how they see you.

It is back to the elements of purpose and meaning and how these twins work in your own work — What is your purpose in your business? What is the meaning in your life? How do these fit together and mutually reinforce?

- Are you seeking to manage events, processes and people where you have no control? Think it through, talk with a trusted colleague or friend:-

§ Manage what you can measure, what you can control

§ Influence what you can in your work and life — they will feed each other

§ Work in the parameters set by other factors quietly pushing back as you network to influence wider and wider — new customers and collaborators, impacting events impacting you — #decentwork and #payin30days for example

In classic Stoical thinking, look at what you are doing from three perspectives within yourself.

- The here and now; are you filling your time doing just to be ok now?

- Are you doing things making for a better future? Define the future in terms of control and influence.

- Is ‘your here and now’ producing things you will be happy with next month, next year?

Points to consider when going through these lessons and questions:-

a) Manage what you can measure

b) Lead where you can influence for the good of all in your business and life

c) Do things for yourself and for those around you where you can stretch, grow and achieve — as an individual and together in a team, in cooperation and your growing networks.

The fourth lesson from the lessons and questions

d) Be deliberate, short-circuit the learning curve by involving others with complementary skills

Message 1 — build the network, form partnerships, collaborations and relationships with those who complement your skills. People who are not afraid to say ‘I disagree with you’ or ‘I don’t know; but let’s ask someone else we can get to know, add to our knowledge and draw into our network of trust.’

Message 2 — talk with people. With being the operative word — listen not only to their words, sense their passions, see how they communicate the meaning behind those words. Build reciprocity; the more you do for others the less we will suffer the problem so many are facing at #excludedUK #inequity and #inequality.

Message 3 — Be practical, draw in illustrations, patterns, exemplars, name it what you like or want. There is no getting it wrong or right as you will always be learning learn. To correct, adapt and adopt and move forward building you as a brand worth knowing in an atmosphere, an ecosystem, where enterprise and entrepreneurial spirit and endeavour is applauding and rewarded.

Contact me and others who share passions, principles and pathos with the desire to do something positive

– Let us make the right connections to build further in mutual support #dignity #decentwork #MSME #enterprisenation