Intense = results

Perspective is a key fundamental in any business. If I look at the ventures I am currently involved in, I have a very different perspective to most of my partners. This is not a good or bad thing, it is just a fact.

I think that someone who has just entered into a start-up for the first time will have a very different take on things when compared to someone who has been living and breathing start-ups for over a decade. Now, I may be stating the obvious here, but often to these new recruits it is not obvious at all. For example, I asked my one partner if everything on our one particular venture was going good. And he said yes. Now, I know there is nothing wrong, but I don't think that everything is going good either. Far from it in fact. My view is that we are highly vulnerable. I say this because I have been doing this a long time. Just because nothing is wrong does not mean everything is good either. And, before I get shot down, those who know me will always tell you I am very positive person. I always see the glass as half full. I am not talking about being positive, I am talking about insight, and about perspective, and intensity.

A quick detour for a minute here: I have a comedian friend, who recently told me he had a great year, because his turn over had doubled from the year before. He said he was very happy with the year gone by. I see things differently. I see a guy, capable of so much, and who should have seen his turn over quadrupled in the past year.

I remember over a decade ago, when I was very active at IS, I remember there was some excitement from the hosting unit because in one year our web hosting business had tripled in size. And I remember at the time that my brother came down on everyone like a sledgehammer. Because the industry had in fact grown at over 500% that year. So, we were fast asleep from his perspective - he was right!

Back to the venture I was discussing above. Yes, just because things all seem ok, does not mean they are ok. For example, we have one test client on this particular venture, and we can't assume they are happy simply because we don't hear them complain. From around February next year we will be going on a big drive as we launch this new venture into the marketplace, and then we need to make absolutely sure that all our new customers are happy. This means that we need to speak to our current test client, and make sure that they are indeed using the service, and we need to listen to their feedback. We need to be proactive! We need to be intense about our mission.

Intensity gets results. I think there is a link between intensity and proactivity. Perhaps I am stating the obvious again.

To conclude today's VLOG, intensity is not something you can just turn on and off. It is like attitude. Either you have a good attitude or you don't. Either you are intense or you are not. One thing I have learnt in life though, intensity gets results!

Next year things are going to be intense!

Posted by Ronnie Apteker