One highlight of WRLC 2011 was DECA University, and one session – Entrepreneurship – was run by David Gass. He is an alumni of DECA and has had much experience in starting multiple businesses and being successful at doing so.
I actually arrived about an hour late, but there was much to be said about the rest of the session. When I asked him what he would tell an aspiring entrepreneur if he could say just one thing, he said, “Take action. You can’t start business if you don’t take action.” Learning strategies and techniques from him was extremely insightful – it wasn’t just theory, but someone speaking from experience, and much of it. He presented a few important aphorisms to follow when considering starting a business:
- “Sometimes, it’s better you hire someone you trust rather than to hire someone with ability.”
- “Leverage: Do more with less.”
- “CLARITY equals POWER.”
- “Revenue is for vanity, but profit is for sanity.”
- “Measure business value with net worth, but your own value with self worth.”
Starting your own business may be a confusing and difficult process, but it’s really something anyone can pursue as long as they’re confident in their own abilities and persevere. Remember to speak with power and present yourself with certainty. Of course, nothing will work out perfectly every time; but with a little bit of determination, success will come your way.
