Save yourself some serious sideswipes.

“The single greatest cost that any entrepreneur incurs is the “LEARNING CURVE.” It can make you, break you, or sentence you to a slow, tortuous death.”  

This quote by Stonyfield yogurt CEO, Gary Hirshberg sums up one of the key, and potentially costly, challenges most start-up businesses experience.  And, it’s not just start-ups that face this challenge.  Any growing business, emerging or established, is inevitably on a learning curve during some point in its life-cycle.  Whether it’s people, processes or continually committing to your purpose-driven mission, staying focused without wasting precious energy and resources is essential to the financial and emotional well-being of an entrepreneurial (artist) enterprise.

One of the biggest regrets I have is not asking for help as soon as I needed it and before I was desperate for it. Here’s some advice, especially for those of you, like myself, who felt like I couldn’t ask for help because I assumed everyone was too busy and no one would have the time or desire to help.

HOW TO MINIMIZE THE LEARNING CURVE:

1. Do the work.  We all work hard, especially when we are starting out.  But are we reinventing the wheel or utilizing existing resources out in the world?  Take advantage of successful businesses and people you admire. See what they do and how they do it. Those that are successful are often also teachers by default, offering free advice through interviews, editorials and their own websites. Seek it out and soak it up.

2.  Make a request for help.   But not from just anyone.  Find your tribe. There’s a lot of intelligent and successful business people out in the world, but do they appreciate and understand who you are as much as what you do? Do they  have experience in your industry? Do they know what’s important to you personally, your vision and values?  Find the people who will hold your heart in good hands and provide the expertise you need. Relevancy is key.

3.  Create a board of advisors.  Admittedly, I have been told on many occasions to do this and to this day I still haven’t created a formal board of advisors.  I have individuals I can call upon when in need, but when you gather a group together face to face or for a phone call, the exponential potency from the group dynamic is more powerful than you can imagine.  With that said, it’s important to choose the right advisors.  Pick a small handful of people who have complimentary skills and areas of expertise . See#2.

4.  Join a Peer Circle.   I once participated in a most amazing network of socially conscious business people through an organization called Social Venture Network {SVN}.  One of the offerings they provide besides a trusted tribe of like-minded entrepreneurs is a program called Peer Circle.  It gathers 6-8 peers of different industries, positions {mostly the owners/CEOs themselves} and sizes to form a sacred circle of support.  Each month one member of the group presents his/her story, challenge, request to the group.  There is a format that provides the structure, but then it’s all about letting the ideas flow.  Questions and curiosity is the foundation for both the presenter and the peers.  When we stay open to the possibility of another outcome than we can imagine, the result is often something different, better, than we can imagine for ourselves on our own.

Bottom line: don’t be afraid, embarrassed, hesitant about asking for help.  Once you receive what you need, remember to pay the generosity forward.

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