The other day an aspiring entrepreneur said he admired me because I was not afraid of failing. It’s true that I enjoy complements more than I probably should, but I was shocked that he actually thought that of me.
I had to set him straight.
The truth is, not only have I been afraid at the start of every big project I have ever undertaken, but I have been utterly terrified at times while running them. Both the media and some founders love to portray entrepreneurs as bold visionaries who don’t question their convictions and never doubt what their next move should be, but that is pure fiction.
If you are starting a company and are not at least a little bit afraid, you either don’t really understand what you are attempting, or your project is not ambitious enough.
It’s good to be afraid. Just don’t let your fear get in your way.
The traditional Japanese salesman in heading for extinction. The information they provide is more completely and efficiently obtained on the Internet. Salesmen today not only slow down the sales cycle, but having to employe a salesforce increases the cost of the product which makes it less attractive to the customer.
The human touch is nice, but price and convenience will win out eventually just as they are doing now in the Japanese retail market.
The Japanese salesman should be placed on the endangered species list. The business environment is changing, and soon they will only survive in niche markets with highly complex and expense products.
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