Don't Do It the Hard Way

Entrepreneurs learn to be better and do better in the same way that other people do – they learn from examples and they listen to their peers.

In my experience, entrepreneurs get their most valuable input from exchanges with other entrepreneurs. It may be over coffee or lunch, in business meetings, industry associations, networking events, conferences, or formal peer advisory groups like the e2eForum that I describe in this book.

The e2eForum is a group of entrepreneurs sharing ideas, information and inspiration in regular discussion meetings. The seven e2eForum members that you will meet in the following chapters are:

Larry – leaving his day job soon; working on a mobile app for monitoring personal health and fitness.

Vivian – a veterinarian and pet store owner, trying to grow her single retail location into a franchised business.

Brian – a young entrepreneur in Web development and e-commerce services.

Stan – the second generation owner of a small business in heating and ventilation equipment.

Dave – an engineer, MBA and former corporate executive, now in import and distribution of high performance bicycles.

Paul – age 57, an experienced entrepreneur running a machine shop and thinking about his exit strategy.

… and me, your Uncle Ralph. Please join me in an exchange of ideas, information and inspiration with other entrepreneurs in the e2eForum.

A snapshot from the Table of Contents:

2. Starting-Up is Hard to Do 31
Initial decisions define the direction 31
Choose your partners well 34
3. Too Entrepreneurial? 41
It’s not a good thing 41
4. Lead Strategically, Manage Effectively 46
Start with a plan. 46
The Entrepreneur’s Challenge: 46
Strategic Leadership + Management Effectiveness 46
Keep your head up 49
5. Let’s do it Again 50
Maybe the first time is your only time 50
Making money doesn’t make you smart. 51
6. More than the Bottom Line 54
Creating Business Value 54
Being profitable is easy 55
A $600,000 scuba dive? 55
Know your numbers 57
7. Relationships are the Key 59
Employees First 59
Who’s squeaking now? 64
Is your Bank a Welcome and Willing Partner in your Business? 65
8. Marketing is NOT Everything 70
It’s a Three-Part Process 70
Building loyal, long-term, profitable customers 71
Marketing, Sales or Customer Service? 74
The Six P’s of Marketing 76
The Four P’s of Salesmanship 79
Good Customer Service is Simple, Not Easy 82