Un-trepreneurship - My struggle with being an accidental entrepreneur

Post on 17-Oct-2014

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Just my story on how I got to do what I am doing, how I didn't actually want to start my business, how I had basically no choice, and jumped and did it. Outlining how I kept to my beliefs, how that got difficult as I got bigger, and how I eventually got peaceful with the fact that scale isn't a bad thing.

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The case for not scaling

Wil Reynolds Associate

@wilreynolds

@wilreynolds

My PATH

@wilreynolds

Make this matter

@wilreynolds

To this kid

@wilreynolds

Helping people to grow…

@wilreynolds

Rocket ship Startup Fail Fortune 500 Fail

@wilreynolds

Volunteering

@wilreynolds

I missed the kids (not the parents)

@wilreynolds

Me: Can I work through my lunch?

@wilreynolds

@wilreynolds

30 months, 30 knocks, 0 interviews, Desired salary: 48k

@wilreynolds

I quit.

@wilreynolds

I had no choice

@wilreynolds

1st Call

@wilreynolds

Entrepreneur, bleh

@wilreynolds

Associate

@wilreynolds

Entrepreneur

@wilreynolds

Untrepreneur

@wilreynolds

ACCIDENTAL Entrepreneur

@wilreynolds

@wilreynolds

My Compass

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My QUIRKS

23 @wilreynolds

Self-Righteous

24 @wilreynolds

“Never get over 10 people”

25 @wilreynolds

Know my team

26 @wilreynolds

Out Care my competitors

27 @wilreynolds

We are not getting over 15

@wilreynolds

Soul Searching

@wilreynolds

Growth vs Care

@wilreynolds

Got sick of saying “NO”

@wilreynolds

Growth vs Care Let’s “Grow”

@wilreynolds

So I scaled

@wilreynolds

Growth vs Care Let’s “Grow”

@wilreynolds

First thing to break … Promises + Processes

@wilreynolds

The Pain of Building non-scalable processes

@wilreynolds

Running into Walls, no planning

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattmendoza

@wilreynolds

Hired Finance @

5.2 Million

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattmendoza

@wilreynolds

Hired HR @

58 employees

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattmendoza

@wilreynolds

Hired IT @

63 employees

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattmendoza

@wilreynolds

My TEAM

@wilreynolds

Showering w/ My Team

@wilreynolds

Over communicate CARE

@wilreynolds

Instilling in your leaders the importance of TEAM

44 @wilreynolds

You can scale caring

@wilreynolds

When’s the last time you did something for …

@wilreynolds

My NUMBERS

@wilreynolds

The day 10% mattered

@wilreynolds

3 Tips for Accidental Entrepreneurs

@wilreynolds

Be a student…forever, be open to learning

@wilreynolds

First Rodeo

@wilreynolds

Be a student…forever

@wilreynolds

Be a student…forever

@wilreynolds

The one piece of advice everyone says…

@wilreynolds

Work on the business instead of in the business

@wilreynolds http://www.flickr.com/photos/61053765@N00/3971737082

@wilreynolds

Work on what makes you happy

@wilreynolds

Hire someone who’s happy place is “on” the business

@wilreynolds

On vs In

@wilreynolds

2002 – 2008-80% in / 20% on 2009 – 2012-20% in / 80% on 2013 – Beyond – 50/50

@wilreynolds

Growth is a retention strategy

@wilreynolds

Volunteer your time, keep your “problems” in check

About me.

@wilreynolds facebook.com/wilreynolds wilr@seerinteractive.com

Wil Reynolds Founder