T-M-I from T-I-M

A clear business model is not always a fundable business model

Most every entrepreneur I meet struggles to crisply articulate their value proposition.  I solve that problem.

However, clarity of a  value proposition can be a double edged sword.  I was working with an entrepreneur last week, helping him get to the essence of his company.  When we did I realized that it would not get funding.

I told him candidly that it would be very difficult to get this funded, even in the best of economic environments (not an easy convo to have).  I know the whole Google argument about how people would have turned that down.

But for every esoteric (at that time) idea of differentiation like Google, there are 100's maybe even 1000's of companies that have a business model that won't and shouldn't get funded (like the one I'm referring to).  My best advice to the entrepreneurs in that situation is to keep the idea going perhaps as a side business (or shut it down) and move on to their next big idea.

End Hopeless Relationships

I read this simple and powerful statement today and it feels worth sharing.  When I first heard it sounded like "giving up".  It also brought up some painful memories where people I've known in life may have done that with me. 

Yes, it's not hard to see that I'm hard on myself.

But looking at it more closely, it has some real merit.  At the Junto a few months ago, we talked about the idea of firing a friend.  I think the step before that is figuring out that the relationship is hopeless.

The clarity of this statement rang right through my soul as I considered a few relationships in my life right now that are hopeless.  (One of which has already ended.)

My definition of hopeless is that it continually brings negativity and conflict in my life in one way or another regardless of how skilled I am inside of the relationship.  It's about getting MY needs met in a relationship on a far more regular basis than.....rarely or never.

I understand that loving kindness is important but inner peace trumps that.  But it's always the question of when I should end it.

It gets trickier when it involves family (a brother or sister for example). 

I can also see where this approach would be almost impossible, with my daughter.  It's nowhere near hopeless but what would I do if at some point in the future it felt like it was? 

Looking for a smile?

A friend passed this onto me today and I think it rocks!!!

http://www.eightprinciples.com/

Problem solvers can suck

I realize that when I'm in a conversation with a friend who is in pain or struggling that more often than not I will start talking solutions with him or her.  Today I learned why I do so often.

I'm a dude.  Not that chicks don't do it to, but a dude is far more likely to want to fix.  Honestly, how many men in your life can sit with pain and emotions, etc.?  But that one's too easy.

I have difficulty just being with pain or struggle.  And in order to "not" solve the problem, I have to be willing to sit with my friend's or even more challenging at times my daughter's pain.

When I was younger, I actually gravitated towards solutions oriented people in my life.  Let's not dwell, let's fix.  And when we fix, we may or much more likely may not go back to how you were feeling. 

These days I'm often turned off when someone becomes immediately, and sometimes relentlessly, solutions oriented with me.  At the same time, at some point I have to start thinking about solutions.  What is that point?  Not knowing that point makes it hard for me to talk about deep emotional issues with even the closest of my friends.

I am close enough to my emotions now to know that, in essence, sometimes problem solvers can suck.  And unfortunately, I can be one of them.  I think that when I learn when to be a solver and when to be a listener I'll offer even more love to the people who mean most to me.  And allow them to do the same.