10 things that entrepreneurs can learn from kiteboarding
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This year, I spent two months kiteboarding in Brazil. In addition to helping me to improve my skills on the water, the experience taught me several important business lessons. Check out all of my videos at http://www.slideshare.net/AtNathanManningTRANSCRIPT
10 Things that Entrepreneurs
Can Learn from Kiteboarding
Nathan Manning Twitter: @nathanmanning
LinkedIn: bit.ly/nathanmanning
A lack of preparation will get you hurt
• Success in kiteboarding and in
business requires a respect for the
fundementals
• Take the time upfront to define your
strategy, plan for emergencies, and
check your equipment
• This is the only way that you can
enjoy the ride safely
But, don’t wait for perfect information to get started • Don’t wait for «Perfect conditions»
• Once you learn the fundamentals
and do your safety checks, get in the
water and start learning
• Success in both fields comes from
trying new things, getting feedback,
and applying learning to improving
Experience is more important than equipment • You don’t need the latest or most
expensive equipment to get started
• Do whatever it takes to get in the
water as soon as you can and let
your equipment grow with you
Don’t blame the wind, adjust to it • In business and in kiteboarding it is
easy to blame outside
cirsumstances for our failures
• Most of the time, poor planning is
to blame
• Learn to read the winds of your
market and you will find yourself
harnessing them rather than
fighting them
Overreactions cause crashes • Beginning kiteboarders often react
to a loss of control by pulling back
on the bar sharply, which only
makes the situation worse
• Learn to relax and observe when
unforseen circumstances threaten
your business
• A quiet dip in the water won’t ruin
your business... but overreacting at
the wrong time might
Harness the wind; don’t be blindly pulled by it • Immediate feedback and response
is key to controling your kite or your
business
• You can’t plan every movement in
advance, but, you can ensure that
you have systems in place to give
you ongoing information
• Follow your strategy, but, stay
flexible
Always have a backup plan (or 3) • Kiteboarders have a multi-stage
emergency response plan
• Make sure that you proactively
identify the biggest risks to your
business and determine how you
will respond if they occur
• Sort your risks into categories of
severity and have a response for
each
Make lots of small mistakes to avoid the big ones • Mistakes are critically important to
learning any new skill... including
entrepreneurship and kiteboarding
• But, that doesn’t mean that all
mistakes are created equal
• Know your limits and take a step-by-
step approach to your business
• Measure everything and build a
learning culture
Don’t go it alone
• Even the most advanced
kiteboarders are wise to ask a friend
to launch and land their kite
• Build a team of trusted partners and
advisors who can help you to
succeed
• Learn to delegate so that you can
focus on charting your company’s
course
Remember why you are doing this
• The road to mastery, in kiteboarding
and in business, is a long one
• Look for sources of inspiration
(friends and mentors) that keep you
motivated
• In business and in kiteboarding, if
you focus on your love of the sport,
the rest will take care of itself
Nathan Manning Twitter: @nathanmanning
LinkedIn: bit.ly/nathanmanning