Waking up after 6 months of starting up, you realize with a start that the only thing that is stopping you is YOU. Tossing and turning over in your comfort zone that’s as comfortable as your bed, you lie there clueless. ‘Proactive’ is a word that makes perfect sense in an entrepreneurship article or on stage as an ‘expert’ explains ‘startup fundas’.
“What is it like to live the damn word? What is it like to be proactive?”To put it simply- make things happen!
Introduce Yourself To People
Being a self proclaimed introvert, I always find it difficult to strike and sustain a conversation. However, the world of business is all about building and sustaining relationships. Go over to a person you want to get connected to, politely introduce yourself and make an acquaintance. Be courteous and respect their space, of course. But waiting and skulking at the back row has helped no one, doers forge ahead and get to know people.
Exchange Referrals
Being proactive while asking for referrals is rude, if you aren’t helping them out in some way or the other too. For your new acquaintances, keep their business at the top of your mind and recommend relevant reading material or connections when you come across them. When you’re the first to make an effort to help others out, the world will be generous in helping you out!
Ask People Relevant Questions
Your team members need to be heard out, they might have issues you haven’t even dreamt of. Your customers (prospective and existing) might have questions in their mind which they are not comfortable sharing, and you won’t know unless you ask. Go out and ask. Seek a holistic perspective. Ask and thou shalt get.
Take the First Step
“There are many first steps, where do I start?” is a flimsy excuse. As discussed earlier, even the first steps can be sequential. Wake up in the morning and plan your day. Figure out what can you do to make your project take a step further. Is SEO weak? Fix it. Is FB presence not good enough? Work on improving it. Are customers not giving rave reviews? Figure out a way to boost the delight factor. You don’t know the right people? Schedule your calendar for events and MEET PEOPLE. Help them out and they will help you out.
Step Out and Start
Being Proactive is arguably the most important trait of a successful individual- entrepreneur or not. From getting to know the right people to coming up with the right ideas- it requires the person to step out and start. Only on starting will you make newer mistakes and learn. You won’t know the value of clean shoes till you make them muddy once 🙂
Have you struggled with being proactive while starting up?
I know I did, and I still do.
Would love to read your story!
asha chaudhry
niiiice!!
bet this one will resonate with everyone!!
i think you tied-in the points quite neatly sushrut… and chose a very interesting topic for all of us to ponder on. i know i’m capable of sustaining a conversation – i’ve got too much inertia to strike one though 🙁
Sushrut Munje
Yay! Thank you. Really hoping we get to read stories, that is what this series is all about. I write merely to establish a context, but the real essence of #StartupMuddyShoes is in the stories of all the Rodinhooders who are reading this.