Entrepreneurs
are gaining more money than they need because it is so easy because angel
investors are in wealth. Over the last five years we have been lucky to meet
some of Silicon Valley’s greatest leaders. Homes on postage stamp size lots are
selling at multi-million dollar for over their asking prices, sometimes all
deals in cash. And the Porsche Cayenne qualifies as a family-friendly car in
2012.
It is more obvious signs that
how the Valley is unique at this moment in time. We’ve noticed that a more stable
phenomenon in techland what will re-shape something larger than itself. In here
people view their work & careers differently than other people.
Recently we meet with a
woman who shares about her week. She was talking on her iPhone while browsing few
hours with her iPad. After some idle period about weekend plans she said: “I’m
spending two days a week on my startup then doing consulting projects on the
side. If the startup doesn’t launch well I’ll go work at Facebook. I know a lot
of people there & could get in. Have you looked at our own Web site yet? I
want to know what you think of my website.”
We found that she has
over-confident about the Facebook job. But what obvious to us is her labor
flexibility mindset. Silicon Valley is a striking era of national slowly
developing unemployment.
She also said that her
workday & career isn’t unique in Silicon Valley. Because there are most of
people who have achieved some degree of success view their careers very interactively
& act like entrepreneurs. Some of them are in classical sense: they start
companies. But many aren’t doing that. These people are consultants, journalists
or staffers, partners at firms (venture, P.R., marketing) and executives trying
to rise their ranks as well.
From my point of view,
these are the important keys to succeed in this new way:
1# Think yourself as an entrepreneur, even if you aren’t
This comment changes a lot
of things inside you. It suggests a huge responsibility: if you fail, it’s up
to you (not your company) to rebuild it. Look beyond your future expectation
and enriched resources for inspiration. Learn how to use Twitter & LinkedIn
to keep up your industry by finding the expert voices you can learn from them
or you can learn from here how to build your Business Using LinkedIn. Where it
makes sense to you, start a dialogue with those experts.
This new mindset is insisting,
too. You aren’t fixed in a job. You are your own free manager.
2# Brand yourself appropriately
Being an entrepreneur rather
than of an employee means you need to brand yourself differently total, or at
least more directly. You don’t write in your LinkedIn profile like that “where I have worked”, focus on realization
of success. Your identity should be about what “you’ve done” so far, it’s not matter what title you’ve been given,
and which companies you has worked for. Broadcast your actions directly,
because as an Entrepreneur, you should straightforward.
This will go beyond your online networks. When someone
at a cocktail party asks what you do, what would be your answer? You must share
the most interesting aspect of your job you have done so far, not your official
title.
3# Grow up your connections effectively
What do you think? Is
browsing Facebook a waste of time? It’s absolutely not. It would probably be
wasteful if their younger employees remain on Facebook for what in their minds.
And yes, if they’re commenting on f bar scene photos of their friends. But it
doesn’t have to be.
We live in a world where
the boundaries between our personal & professional lives are totally
different. The field of Technology enabled this first with mobile devices. You can
see the job advertisement at home every day.
Facebook is added the trend. We
are sharing cute babies photos, interesting news, articles and others news on
Facebook with our friends.
These keep us connected to other
people who can be really useful in someday & somehow to gain new customers,
or even to get new jobs as well. Marc Benioff is constantly blending Salesforce
news and his own (paddle boarding in Hawaii) in his “public” feeds on Facebook &
Twitter well. It makes him more interesting & dynamic than if he were using
these tools for only marketing explosion.
4# Ask your social network for help
Entrepreneurs know well if
you asking for & getting help. The best decision would be for you if you
simultaneously relying on the generosity and expertise of others. A former associate
of mine is doing this daily basis. He isn’t technically an entrepreneur, but
she’s acting like an entrepreneur as well.
He use Facebook very
effectively as an ask tool for himself. Recently he posted: “Who are the top 5
fastest growing companies? But in comment NO ONE is talking about any company
which is situated in Silicon Valley? He got 21 comments. He could have done
this by calling ten of his friends to know the answer (the old-fashioned way).
Instead, he’s friends with same network on Facebook and gets his answer in an
hour instead of a day. It also creates buzz for his brand in high-growth
companies.
5# Work outside your office
When we first landed in
Silicon Valley we found a lot of people working in the Starbucks’ 101 corridor
several times a day. We worried that this was a sign of our own inefficiency,
thinking that if I do a better job where I manage my meetings outside as like
as in my office and most probably be more productive.
In downtown Palo Alto, Coupa
Cafe is a perfect example. You can visit any weekday afternoon & this place
is a huge collection of laptops and iPads. Some people are simply working with
a coffee on their hand. Others are using Coupa Cafe as their office with
appointments with his delegates. Why not? You probably aren’t using your file
cabinet.
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