Frequently businesses are started by two people who complement each other’s skills. As a result, they may be friends or business associates but finding someone to work with allows the burden of starting a company to be shared. When my wife and I started working together at Rachel’s Brownies in the 1980s, we had different areas that we each focused on each day. We would often describe it that I was the accelerator, and she was the brake.
- As the sales and marketing person, I wanted new business and growth. I focused on rapid expansion.
- As the quality control and operations person, my wife wanted to slow things down to make sure every brownie was as perfect as possible. She didn’t care about growing, she cared about making every brownie perfect.
Accelerator and Brake
Based on this metaphor of accelerator and brake, If you work in a startup or a with a partner, what role do each of you play in balancing the other’s strengths and weakness? Because of our complementary strengths, the dynamic in our bakery business helped us steadily grow at a reasonable pace. It worked for us and kept each of us in check for keeping things in balance.
Startup Advice
- Find someone who is a contrast to your style and pace of work. They can help you balance out your weaknesses.
- Recognize that to move a car forward; it isn’t all gas pedal. You need the ability to step back and think about your direction, and braking comes in handy.
- Even solopreneurs tend to find individuals who work for them or who advise them, who can balance out their inclinations to move too slowly or too fast.
Starting a business or in your early phase of growing your company, seek out someone who can help you drive forward without crashing into the guardrails.
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. Visit my website at www.themarketingsage.com The conversation is free, and we can explore working together.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alyssagioia93/
