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I am in transition to being an entrepreneur. Leaving the safe shores of a set position, responsibilities and life. For all my working life, I have always worked for someone…that is now changing as I work for myself. I am venturing out and on a new adventure. I love the quote that said (and I am providing it from memory): “The mighty tall ships that were built in the era of exploration can sit safe in the harbour but that is not what they were built for. You need to let the sails out and go on an adventure.”

By leaving the comfort of my own harbour, I have put myself out there and exposed to the elements. Now as an entrepreneur (one word I could always spell without spell check), I feel the pitches and rolls that the environment throws at you. I need to react and act or I will be swamped. Always on the alert, I don’t have the safety net that kept me secure. I have a lot of respect and admiration for someone who braves the elements. You put yourself at risk every day. I had a perception of entrepreneurship and this emerged from media, being an intrapreneur, and mentoring many entrepreneurs; however, I was not an entrepreneur. I have a much better understanding of how everything matters. It seems that money keeps going out but it is not coming in as fast. You feel as though you have a brilliant idea or product that could help others…but how do you get into the radar of the masses. You are always on the search for that opportunity to grow the business. On the flip side, I am now being exposed to so many opportunities and people who want to work collaboratively.

Looking at the journey to be an author, I consider myself a stream working its way to a river. By self-publishing a book, I am starting with zero credibility at being known in a large world. If I would have gone with a recognized publisher, they have an established channel of information and ways to make you main stream but they would also impose their details. Unfortunately, the content of the book is mine and I am not willing to compromise it. Sure there is an audience of people I have built relationships with over the many years, but what about making my way to those who do not know of me. How do I penetrate all the noise and other books out there to make mine desirable? Will it ever be something that is out there in the mainstream? As an entrepreneur, you now have to find those opportunities and people. Perhaps giving one copy to someone unlocks a door that opens wide so the book winds up selling itself or perhaps it is the wrong jenga piece and your entire tower comes crashing down. Either way, you have to keep trying. Staying still is not an option. I have stopped logging into my self publishing site to see how many copies have sold because it does not always change. I have resolved that things will work out.

I have chosen this path and there are no regrets. I don’t think I could go back to looking for full time work as I appreciate the thrill of this ride. Time to stop being a lighthouse and be the ship.

ps -the title is deliberate…entrepreneurial play of words