Do You Have a Business Hero?
When it comes to seeking inspiration? What keeps you going?
Do you have a business hero to keep you inspired?
Maybe you are like me and have a few different “heroes”.
Today, I’d like to introduce you to my new hero – a tiny creature that truly is inspiring!
Our main sources of inspiration
Most of us have 2 main sources of inspiration:
- Internal – this is where our motivation is generated from within ourselves
- External – our inspiration comes from an external source – a deadline, a mentor or accountability buddy
or and this is true for most of us
- a mix of both internal and external inspiration
I’ve recently discovered that in some aspects of my life I am completely and absolutely internally motivated – when it comes to the food I eat and when and how I exercise I’m completely internally motivated. I do it for me.
When it comes to my business I’m very externally motivated. When I want to do something or achieve a certain goal I’m compelled to move forward when I think about my clients, when I think about the bigger picture.
Over time I’ve come to realise that it is my impact on others as well as the stories from other people which contribute to my momentum, my motivation and keeping me moving forward – day after day.
In business we face challenges every – single – day … and as business owners and business leaders we use our internal fortitude to carry on and overcome circumstances.
We can also be encouraged and inspired by others. Is this you ?
For instance for me, I like to read biographies because I am inspired by the challenges that others overcome.
In my podcast So You Want to Start a Business I speak with other business owners about their businesses and bringing their stories to a wide audience, to inform and inspire.
Stories from others help by giving us perspective.
Have you ever thought:
“Wow, that’s going on in their life as well – that makes me feel more normal. I thought I was the only one this happened to”
or
“Yikes, I’m grateful that I only have to deal with this and not all of that as well”
As you know, I’m always on the lookout for inspiring stories and examples.
OK, so now I’d like to introduce you to my new business hero!
The enigmatic Antarctic Krill!! Yes, this tiny creature is certainly a superhero!!
I totally “accidentally” read this book“The Curious Life of Krill” by Stephen Nicol and it is truly one of the most interesting books – I highly recommend it.
Krill – a tiny enigmatic creature of the sea.
Most of us know they exist, we’ve heard about them, we probably know that “whales eat them” and yet we likely know pretty much nothing about them.
Here’s why Krill are astonishing creatures = business superheroes
A mere 6 cm or about 2 inches in length the Antarctic Krill are vital in the ecosystem – in fact they are the drivers of the entire deep Antarctic ecosystem.
Can you see the business startup analogy?
Tiny creatures – like tiny businesses.
Drivers of the ecosystem – all big companies were tiny at some stage.
Krill as the new business hero??
I’ve long been in awe of all things nature and the creatures of the oceans.
Reading this book opened my eyes to the life of this super important small creature.
They are in the ocean in their millions – in their billions.
How are there so many Krill? Where do they come from? This book by Stephen Nicol answers this and many other questions.
Here is why Krill are an absolutely business hero for me!
Firstly – the way they move around. Millions swarm together as if one single entity. Many other creatures can do this as well – think fish, wildebeest, zebras and many more.
It’s remarkable how animals navigate together in large numbers.
Sometime we humans struggle to navigate walking along the path without bumping into other people.
Scientists have been studying Krill for years and mostly catching them in nets – they die almost immediately they are taken out of the water.
Being dead makes it very difficult to study them.
Now with new technology scientists know more than ever despite that Krill live in freezing, freezing water. Makes it really difficult to observe them in their natural habitat.
OK, so where is the business hero story here?? Let’s look at how new Krill come into being – as you read this, think about how a new business gets started
Where do new Antarctic Krill come from – how do they reproduce?
When I read this section of the book describing how Krill reproduce, I couldn’t help thinking
“This is absolutely a business startup analogy.”
Let me explain:
Millions of tiny fertilised eggs are ejected into the ocean by the spawning female krill.
The eggs are one single cell.
It’s a minuscule single cell.
As cell is heavier than water – they start to sink.
After a week they have sunk to a depth of 2 km from the surface where they were spawned – and all the time they are dividing and developing.
The larvae hatch – and are 1 mm across. 1 mm!!
The larvae have 2 pairs of tiny limbs at the front and they use these limbs to swim back to the surface.
That’s 2 km!! with 2 pairs of tiny limbs.
It takes them 3 weeks to make this long migration from the depths back to the surface of the ocean – 2 km!!
These tiny 1mm larvae are swimming against the gravitational pull of the earth … in a freezing cold ocean.
As you read this – can you see the business startup swimming against gravity with tiny limbs?
During the 3 weeks they morph through a series of changes and most important develop a mouth so that when they get to the surface they can begin feeding.
When they get to the surface they are now 3 mm in length – remember they were just 1 mm as they started their swim upwards
This is one of my favourite images of building a startup and as mentioned when I was reading this section of the book, I couldn’t help thinking of the business startup analogy.
How many of us feel like we are tiny in the scheme of things and that we are like the Krill falling and falling before being able to swim against gravity, with tiny limbs and with very little fuel reserves?
How often does it seem that despite travelling so far and struggling through so much it feels like “Is this all we are?”
The business startup journey is like each Krill’s journey.
Move over Nemo! Meet the new business hero: Krill
I saw an article recently that said “Startups don’t need to be unicorns – they need to be camels”
Well I reckon if we’re looking for the startup business hero – I’m voting for the Antarctic Krill!!
How do you keep your momentum? Do you tend to be internally motivated? Or do you also seek motivation and encouragement externally?
My guess is you are here because …..
My guess is that you are here because you are a business owner and what you really want – is to build and grow a successful business – whatever that means to you.
We know that business owners want to feel more confident when it comes to the money side of business.
Take Your Business Financial Health Check click here
Having a successful business might mean making business decisions with reliable information – facts & data as well as your “gut feel.”
… ultimately you want to do what you do best AND have a successful business AND make a difference.
I’m here to help you.
Everything I do in my business, every decision I make is based on this question:
Will this make a difference? Will this help you, my listener – will this help you to build your business? will this help you to create your successful, viable and robust business so you can achieve Financial Independence?
This is why I do what I do
There are 2 ways you can access all my best material:
I regularly run webinars on a range of money related topics:
- Managing Cash Flow so you never run out of money
- Understanding where your money goes – getting those expenses sorted out
- Understanding the Profit First book
- Pricing – getting it right for your studio
- The things you need to know before signing a commercial lease
- How to make more money
- … and many other topics
If you’d like the replay of any of these recent webinars, please email me ingrid@healthynumbers.com.au and put “Replay” in the subject and let me know which one you’d like to watch. I’ll send you the link to the replay
AND
Read my book! It is a Business 101 and can answer pretty much all your business questions.
This book is designed to help you build your business – whether you are starting from scratch and creating something new or you have been in business for a couple of years and want to build from your foundations.
The book is your step by step guide to building a business smarter and faster.
“So You Want to Start a Business”
Order your copy now from Booktopia, Amazon or Book Depository
It’s so exciting to be sharing it with you.
If you prefer the kindle Head straight to Amazon
Happy reading!
What is your biggest question right now? Let me know – send me an email ingrid@healthynumbers.com.au
I answer all my own emails 😊