“Do. Or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda, Jedi Master.
I like to think of all entrepreneurs as Jedi’s. Why? Well that’s simple. First, it’s not easy. To achieve the Jedi Master badge in entrepreneurship (is there one?) you must practice. Over and over again. There is no “one path” to success, everyone must find their own. Second, you must find yourself. If you do not know who you are, you cannot effectively encourage, inspire and lead a team to accomplish the goals you have set. In fact, how can you set goals if you do not establish “yourself” in the process? Third, and probably most important, you must find and tap into “The Force.” A successful entrepreneur does not go at it alone (although we might think we can). There are two forces at work within a successful entrepreneur. One lies within the successful entrepreneurs that came before him/her. They were trailblazers, imaginative minds and perseverant. Collectively, all of them have left behind a force that inspires and mandates the achievement of new goals. The other is “The Force” of the community. If you are a local business, the support and resources of the community are invaluable.
Since EZ Office Products is a local business let’s dive into “The Force” of the community for just a bit, especially here in Madison. Now is when I don my teaching hat and try to reach all of you young, aspiring, Madison entrepreneurs out there, so listen to your elders, won’t you? (Disclaimer: NOT that much older). You (Madison Entrepreneurs) have a wealth of resources and a gold mine of community contacts to tap into. Leverage these resources and their connections, give back to them, become members, promote them as much as possible. Here are just a few that we have had the honor and privilege of working with and being inspired by over the years:
- Dane Buy Local
- Sustain Dane
- BratFest
- Madison Metropolitan School District/Inspire Madison Region
- NBC15 Madison
- Living the Dream Madison
- Noah’s Ark Waterpark
- Boy’s and Girl’s Club of Dane County
- In Business Madison
- American Family Children’s Hospital
There is nothing more rewarding than entrepreneurship or giving back to your community. Both are very easily achievable. Let us end with a quote from a Jedi of his own passage, Steve Jobs: “People with passion can change the world for the better.” What is your passion?