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True is true
Posted by Chris Knudsen on May 30th, 2007
I’ve been pondering over some truisms the last couple of days and I need to write them down. I might as well share them with you here.
When I was a kid I framed houses. I worked for a guy who thought he was some kind of a philosopher. He used to always say:
“True is True.”
Its kind of dumb way of saying you can’t argue with truth. True really is true. Here are five truisms that have come to my mind lately:Â
- A deal is never done until the money is in the bank. If you work in sales never forget that.
- Paris Hilton has something figured out. In today’s society it doesn’t matter what you have done as long as you can garner attention. Look at “Web 2.0″. Mike Arrington, Jason Calacanis, and Robert Scoble get most of the attention. What have they done? Some pretty cool things but their no Steve Jobs. These guys are just really good at getting attention.Â
- People need help. Some people are too proud to admit they need help. Its the same type of pride that prevents you from quitting when you should hang it up and do something more “you” or more productive in general. I caught wind of a business that is trying to raise capital but their financials and business plan are a mess. The founder knows it needs work but he’s too prideful to come to people who can really help him. I’m willing to bet that if this company asked for help people would gladly give it to them.
- Don’t burn bridges. I burned a bridge at one point in my life. The other person has been gracious enough to let me know that all is forgotten. I’m lucky to associated with such a fine person and I will never betray that person’s trust in me.
- The most important attributes in the founders of a business are communications skills and commitment level. If those two things are right almost everything else will fall in line.
It is what it is, folks. So what truisms do you live by?
Subset of truism #1:A deal is not worth mentioning to anyone until the money is in the bank. After a few false alarms you become the entrepreneur who cried wolf. No one, especially investors and potential paretners, will believe you when you have good news. I get tired of hearing from certain entrepreneurs about how they’re “just about to close a deal” with so-an-so. Talk to me when the money is in the bank/papers are signed/the product is shipped.
Subset of subset to Truism #1: Measurement and accountability are the foundations of execution. My main man Thomas Monson hit the nailt on the head when he said, “When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported back, the rate of improvement accelerates.” It ain’t rocket science, but it’s an absolute fact. I’ve never seen an instance where this has been false.
Left by Jeff on 05/30/2007When you go into business for yourself, you might or might not need a lawyer, but you WILL need an accountant.
If you do not have an accountant, you WILL need a lawyer!
(A 39 dollar fine from the IRS, and a lesson well learned)
Left by Thomas W. Clay on 05/30/2007I know this is a bit of a break from the point of Truisms… but I love the point you are on… I always try to be very honest with myself (Which, as a balding fat guy who is prematurely gray is important
).
But I wanted to throw in something that I have always found to be important, and that is the idea of not just knowing the truth, but acting true to yourself. So many people overextend themselves these days. I find however, that having your finances in order allows you to work where you want, and how you want. You never need to act out of character or your comfort zone, because your life is in ordre enough that you could do something else if you chose to.
Left by Steve Spencer on 05/31/2007True or false is only happen when we are young. After we growth, there is nothing call true or false. It is more than what you do and what is the result.
Number 5 you said is similar just like my opinion. For me the more important for business is cash flow. cash flow is the king. 2nd part is communication.
Commitment is the fundamental which will make business work.
Left by Business Education on 05/31/2007No good deed goes unpunished.
Do good deeds anyway.
ddt
Left by Devin Thorpe on 06/02/2007Do not take counsel from your fears.
Left by Russ on 06/07/2007http://quoty.connorboyack.com/quote/1610
[...] Steve Spencer posted this on my blog several months back: “But I wanted to throw in something that I have always found to be important, and that is the idea of not just knowing the truth, but acting true to yourself. So many people overextend themselves these days. I find however, that having your finances in order allows you to work where you want, and how you want. You never need to act out of character or your comfort zone, because your life is in order enough that you could do something else if you chose to.” [...]
Left by Chris Knudsen on life, business, and entrepreneurship » Great thoughts from this week on 10/11/2007