Tarzan or James Bond? Defining Your Entrepreneurial Style
The fictional character of the noble savage, Tarzan, was known for his reflexes, agility and heightened senses. Those are just the reflexes you need to have as an entrepreneur. On the other hand, 007 with his sophisticated entrances and stealth in handling the enemy are qualities equally important to your success.
When I started out in business I made a tremendous mistake — I was naïve and I shared my ideas with friends, family and anyone who seemed to take an interest. It was not long before I the people I thought were friends were putting their money behind and idea they took from me. I was broken hearted. The law was on my side but I did have to go through the terrible exeprience of suing them. The experience was unpleasant but protecting your ideas and identity is a battle that an entrepreneur must learn to fight.
You own your idea and you are the person who deserves to make money on it. The reality is that all new entrepreneurs need monetary backing, and often end up speaking with the wrong people in the hope of obtaining the necessary funds. You must be agile and flexible, like Tarzan, but you must also be as savvy and crafty as James Bond. When you learn those two styles you not only protect your ideas but you turn them into the business success of your dreams.
Bond, James Bond
James Bond works alone. You never see him team up, until he comes back to headquaters to report what he has ALREADY achieved. Until you have worked on every detail of your idea, keep it to yourself. Avoid running to lots of people to give you feedback or advice.
One of the things we love to watch in a James Bond movie is how he prepares for a mission. He has all those gadets at the ready to get him out of even the most deadly situations. There are pratcial matters that you need to have in order as well– seek legal advice, protect the name and activity that you wish to pursue. Never seek money for registering your name, trade-mark or brand name. Use your own money. The process is very simple and you must keep it discreet until you are legally registered. When you do go out with the name of your business, you will be covered.
Swing from the Trees
The reality is that you cannot always be James Bond out there on your own. You will need help. This is where you can adopt the extra sensory perception of Tarzan. Once you have developed your idea then zero in on people you can trust. With hundreds of networking events asking you to pitch ideas and plenty of people wanting to fund new ideas in the hope of making money there are opportunities out there for you to launch your idea. I recommend that you find mentors rather than investors — let some seniors guide you before you jump in to raise money. Look for someone who can help you shape your idea for launch, and share your ideas only with your mentor.
It is important to know when, how and where to draw the line. Ideas can be stolen, there is no copyright on ideas; they are not protected under the law, but you can protect your ideas — use the Bond/Tarzan model and you can launch your business without fear.
