I recently read Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneur’s Soul and was particularly struck by one of the stories, The Accidental Entrepreneur by Jim McCann of 1-800-FLOWERS.com. It was very interesting to read about this successful entrepreneur and his “semi-commandments” because he has many of the same values about business as my husband, Joel, and I do.
Jim McCaan speaks of the need to establish a relationship before you can do business. Sure you need to extend your reach and increase your contacts. But that alone won’t bring you business. It’s the relationship that’s important. That’s why I don’t focus on getting as many contacts on social networking sites as possible. I focus on actually building relationships with individuals.
He also says that he is living proof that experiences can make you as successful as an MBA. Again, it’s not always what we know, but what we do, that makes us successful. Along those same lines, we agree tat it’s not necessary to know everything before starting down a road. An entrepreneur is not afraid to take that first step and see where it will lead.
One thing in the virtual assistant industry that I often find challenging is the idea of a cheap VA. McCaan points out that the cheapest labor is always the smartest. So when a prospect feels my rates may be too high, I remind them of the quality of work that they will get for their dollar.
My husband, Joel D Canfield, speaks a lot about not focusing on the money in business. McCaan agrees. He says, “Are you giving customers the goods and services that they want, when they want them? Satisfy those requirements, and the margins will take care of themselves.”
What words of entrepreneurial wisdom would you like to share?