Entrepreneurship: What I Was Not Taught at Harvard Business School

With my recent career transition, I've taken on two challenges at once: something akin to a GM role, and something that is very entrepreneurial.  Here are just a few things I've either learned or come to appreciate in a primary way, that I was never taught at HBS or in my years as a professional advice giver (read: strategy consultant, venture capitalist, etc.):

• Entrepreneurial leadership is a 24 hour a day challenge.
• That being said, these are some of the most rewarding 24 hour days imaginable.  Every call or email I return, or task I check off, has a very direct connection to the success or failure of my business. 
• The only way to prioritize all of these tasks is to rank them as they relate to degrees of separation from my top line (revenue).  And then in the case of a tie, further prioritize between revenue now versus revenue later.
• There are 37 new decisions to be made every day.  What boggles my mind is that these decisions are evenly divided between stuff that is in the weeds and stuff that is 30,000' strategic.  I am constantly having to switch modes in this regard, which is both dizzying and perfect for those with short attention spans.

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Comments

[Linda M. Lopeke]

You hit the nail right on the head! Measuring by degrees of separation is the most effective means of categorizing tasks by priority. Most people going into business do not realize they must become ambidextrous thinkers. Clearly, you are not one of them!

Best wishes for great success!

Linda M. Lopeke
The SMARTSTART Coach
Success-to-go for people working@the speed of life!

[Adriana]

1) I've missed your blog.
2) That's an interesting way to look at the big picture. In a world filled with deadlines (some of them irrationally unrealistic) the foundation always says "focus on what's urgent, not what's important". Which I find odd because, in reality, EVERYTHING is urgent. Everything is important.

So how do I transition investment dollars/return in my case? I don't know. I'll have to find out. But it's good to start thinking about investment/return $$ from my client as well as the firm.

Ugh.. Complicated. Exciting, but sometimes it's really just a juggling act. And I couldn't juggle more than two balls at the time in high school....

Good to read from you again!