Are You Over Your Capabilities?

I wrote an article titled “The One Word Entrepreneurs Do Not Say.”  The word is Can’t just in case you have not read it.  It is true that real entrepreneurs do not use this word and their primary mode of action is to seek ways to solve problems; go around them, over them, under them, or through them.  The never give up attitude is critical to success.  However, there is a cautious warning that sometimes there will be situations or businesses that you cannot fix or build.  In fact, it may be beyond your skills or those of anyone.  This is difficult to imagine, but it does happen.

I was reminded of this issue due a persistent Blue Bird!  Yes, you read this correctly, a Blue Bird.  Not just any old blue bird but the one pictured here:

This bird is a true entrepreneur in every sense of the word.  He does not have the word Can’t in his vocabulary.  He has nested in the small house for the last few years.  Now, he has his eyes on a much larger home, MINE!  For months now, he comes to the windows and continues to seek a way to move in.  He flies up and bangs into windows or doors producing a thud sound trying to get in.  I would have thought he would have sustained injuries but he is fine.  He will not be deterred nor can he be convinced to stop and he continues to show that amazing entrepreneurial spirit that comes in every startup. There is only one problem, he is over his skill set and is not getting in here!

This inability to complete a task happens in startups too and can results in failed businesses.  All of the properly conducted background work may be great; i.e. the markets exits and the business proposition are great.  Suppose the founder or management team cannot execute properly because of lack of experience or skills.  Remember, it takes a great management team to seek alternative ways of resolving problems.  The team survives on these skills.  When the background training and lack of advisory support are missing, there is greater room for failure.  This is why I have covered the area of finding great mentors and advisors as a topic in prior articles.  Great mentors and advisors can increase your chances of solving problems by bringing their prior experiences to help seek solutions.

I firmly believe there is a solution to every problem.  Sometimes the solutions are not so easily visible.  It is important that you not keep hitting the windows or doors like the blue bird.  The repetitive attempt to solve the problems with the same solution repeatedly just does not work.  Find as many alternatives as you can and keep trying.  Call on mentors and advisors and make use of their skills.  Your goal is not to do it alone, but to DO IT.  Who cares if a cast of thousands helps you?  Just find a solution that works and stop repeating those that do not.  Don’t be like the blue bird, be a more skillful version and keep up your entrepreneurial spirit.

You can follow Taffy Williams on Twitter by @twilli2861 and you can email him with questions at twilli2861@aol.com and his company website  or photo website. You can also find him in the group Startup Group on Linkedin. Other articles can be found in the Charlotte, NC- small business section of Examiner.com. This blog is now listed on StartUpRoar  and on Alltop®.