Monday, July 26, 2010

A Small Business Entrepreneur's Top 10 Playbook: Play #3

A Small Business Entrepreneur’s Top 10 Playbook: #3

As a small business entrepreneur for over 20 years and a former professional athlete with a career that spanned about the same amount of time, I've been able to utilize aspects of both those endeavors that have helped enable me to become a successful small business person.

Like a well played game, all businesses will go through their natural cycles of ebbs and flows.  You, as a small business entrepreneur, need to know when to call a timeout or when to run another play.  Sports has taught me the value of team play, camaraderie, working towards common goals, learning from your temporary setbacks and the ability to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep on going.

If I were to put together a top 10 list of "must haves" whether you’re a start-up company or a well-established business, it would go something like this.


# 3: Assemble Your Team -

A smart business entrepreneur makes sure that he or she is surrounded by talented professionals and not just a bunch of "yes" people.  It's essential that you have a professional corporate attorney, CPA, financial advisor, bookkeeper, insurance person and a front office manager as part of your team.  An attorney and CPA are must from the start, and you can add additional pieces to your team as you grow.

Be sure that you take the advice of your professional advisors, after all that's what you pay them for.  You may not always like what they have to say, but it's important to listen to them.

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