Plodding wins the race

Posted January 28th, 2015 by Carroll King Schuller

Getting started, with any major project in life, is always difficult, and sometimes we can feel like we are perpetually stuck in the tortoise-and-the-hare scenario. Everyone is afraid that they’ll never get there and are afraid that their plans won’t go well, so they don’t start.

I’ve been in that position. In 2003, I filed a patent for my “Reading Machine,” which took scanned documents, converted the images to digital characters, and then output those characters as spoken language. I went this far with a project I was really proud of, but it never went to market because I couldn’t raise the over $100,000 necessary to do so. Start-ups are always a popular idea, but many suffer from undercapitalization, and many creators don’t realize the importance of great marketing.

The future for your great idea, however, is not bleak. Plenty of companies are built on taking one step at a time. If you feel like you’re not moving forward with your goals, consider this… Part-time employees are a great demographic for starting their own business, as there is an ongoing trend for these workers who need either another part-time job or a full-time job to fulfill their financial obligations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people employed part time in December was 6.8 million. These people “would have preferred full-time employment.”[1] Part-time employees, however, could start their own business and see if it could grow to be bigger than their part-time job. You can create opportunities by building something on the side.

Scott Anthony, author of The Little Black Book of Innovation: How It Works, How to Do It, believes that innovation is the key to solving problems. In his book, he outlines a 28-day program for finding insight, generating ideas, and building businesses.[2] It’s okay if you don’t have all of the plans in place when you begin the process of creating a business, but it is important to keep in mind your marketing funds and talents when developing a project. The multinational manufacturer, Proctor and Gamble, is an exciting company because it does not subscribe to the view that strict plans make for the best venture.

Breaking through with new ideas and innovation and taking a chance on yourself, as the tortoise did in his race against the hare, can generate great opportunities for success!  Plodding wins the race!

[1] Bureau of Labor Statistics (US Department of Labor). “The Employment Situation – December 2014.”

[2] Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/product/the-little-black-book-of-innovation-how-it-works-h/an/10430-HBK-ENG