Friday's with Bentley

Monday, January 31, 2011.

As part of a succession plan, I have not worked on a Friday since September and we have put bright, young tigers in place to help lead our business to the next level.  What has it been like so far with every Friday off??

Bentley on the trail

First I take Bentley, my two year old, frisky, funny, beautiful Springer Spaniel, on long, brisk walks alongside the Burlington Beach.  This beautiful, long path goes on for miles.  What is weird is that I didn't even know it was there, only ten minutes from my house, and I have lived in Burlington since 1973. "What" you say??  I've been busy working for forty five years, you know, highways, planes, meeting rooms, boardrooms...always another meeting to go to... always building something, a business, a team, a customer relationship, a financial portfolio.  That's how entrepreneurs are!

In Winter, when it is too cold by the water we, walk in the woods that are part of the magnificent 1000 mile long Bruce Trail.  It is invigorating and fun watching Bentley run enthusiastically in the woods.  He loves the snow.  After an hour and a half or so, we go to Jake's Boat House Restaurant in Burlington owned by my friend Jamie.  This is a great establishment with excellent food and service.  Here I meet up with a bunch of old business friends.  For the past 30 years this Motley Crew has been meeting there (usually after tennis).  What do we talk about??  We discuss our life after business, taxes, travel, family, what is going on in our lives, and eventually, new business opportunities.  Why would we talk about that?  We can't help it, we are wired, rigged, structured to be business opportunists.

This is what keeps us juiced.  It's amazing to hear this successful bunch describe how to succeed.  I wish I had their savvy throughout my 45 year business career, but I guess life has another plan.  We seem to have to learn from experience, take risk, pull the trigger on deals even when they aren't perfect and go with a vision and a plan.  Lose some, win some, but overall it is important to enjoy the roller coaster ride - the excitement of building something.  It is really humorous to hear the mistakes and inspirational to hear their victories.  Entrepreneurs are a little nuts but I believe they all deserve to go to heaven.  (I'm Irish so I get an automatic ticket.)

The staff at Jakes' Boat House always find a way to sneak som

Bentley

e premium, left over food out to Bentley waiting patiently in the car.  In the summer and fall, he sits right next to us at our patio table and seems to enjoy the meetings as well.  After lunch, Bentley and I head to my grand
children's school where we pick up Taylor who is 13, take her home to change, and then off to dance.  She is amazing and gorgeous.   Then we take Shalayne (what a beautiful name), who is almost 12 and also gorgeous and sweet, to guitar lessons.  Then we pick up Taylor again and take her home, and so on.  There is also Caelen who is perfect in every way and 8 going on 18.  She is a real girlie girl, and my hockey player, Liam who has to put up with all these women, Keenan the terror, and baby Tristan who is always happy and funny.  I know there are quite a few but guess what.... My son Kevin Robert has another on the way in February....another Grandson.  Who could get so lucky???  Talk about 'juice'.  Today, everyone of my business lunch friends would drop any meeting for a little time with their grand kids.... A double dose of 'juice'.  OK, now back to business.

Building a business, finding business opportunities, knowing how to capitalize on them, building a life with all the other things that give us meaning that are important to us, makes for a great life.  Entrepreneurism is the great source of all that.  All the rewards are there for innovative entrepreneurs and professional people whether you work for a small business, own one, or work for a multinational corporation.  All of us need the 'juice' that comes from entrepreneurial thinking.

Entrepreneurial thinking is about doing the very best job you can with what you have and not accepting those limited resources as a license to practice the cowboy capitalism of ready, fire, aim.  On the contrary, you know what you are good at and where you can create and communicate a business strategy where every system and person makes it work.  You build a strong, intimate relationship with customers; you listen and know what turns on your market; you create the innovative solutions your customers need to support their wants; you map out all the opportunities available; and most of all, you pull the trigger on the best ones.  It is pulling the trigger that officially makes you an entrepreneur.  Simple to describe.   Winners make this happen most of the time.  Who doesn't need more of this entrepreneurial thinking in their business?

It's there.  It's inherent in every group. You simply need to allow it to flourish through conversations and meetings with a team.  The entrepreneur is the most important player in the re-building of our economy and the 'juice' they get, is deserved.

ACTION

Take a few minutes and go into a mental dark room with yourself.  How about you?  What are you building?  Can you articulate what it is and what your business strategy is to help you get there?  Does your team see it, feel it and know how their role connects?  What new opportunities are you evaluating?  Which is your best opportunity?  When are you going to pull the trigger? 

What's Your Next Step?? 

Are you consuming, showing up, or producing?  We need a culture of producers.  These are exciting, new times.  Every Friday with Bentley I get more 'juice' and more spirit.  I hope you find your way to get more of it as well.

Have a great week!