I hear a great deal of talk about needing money to build ‘my business’, ‘I’m ambitious’ and people seem completely wrapped up with this need. Often as there are plenty of ‘vultures’ circling the start up circus.
But do we ever stop to think, why do we need the money?
This might seem too obvious to ask.
You need people, you need space, you need a new website, an App, you need to have a salary to survive, you must have a bigger business…and the list can go on.
So let’s go further, sure you need money for the above things, but do you stop and ask why do I need that stuff?
We seem now unable to think first about the passion and reason why we do what we do, we seem to want to follow some paint by numbers formula for growing business, often not even thinking why we want this ‘big’ business.
So my take is, don’t borrow money, unless it is so critical, to something that is more substantial than just the need to follow a ‘plan’ or to ‘have a big business’.
Work out what matters to you, be patient and grow your passion organically and enjoy the journey, have fun and then reap the rewards that will bring you.
You will then have the time to do the things that matter in life, it is likely that your business will do something meaningful, that will enhance your’s and the lives of the people you share your creations with.
Money has to be paid back, money won’t make your business remarkable, and you’ll need to dance to someone else’s tune. When money becomes the agenda, either to make or to take, then it sucks out the soul.
Choose yourself, build with passion, create something of meaning to the people you choose and then spend your time doing the things you love. Where money fits into that, I have no idea, but you often need it when you are seeking a short-cut.
Philip Dodson 