ready to start your business

Ready to Start Your Business?Episode 2

Photo by @harguellowww.stretchgoals.fm/ep2

www.stretchgoals.fm/ep2

Challenge yourself to create ambitious goals as you start and grow your business.

Episode 2 - Ready To Start Your Business?

Robert Dickerson

Robert is the Founder and CEO of Mapout a mobile learning platform that uses video courses to educate customers and train employees. He helps companies develop and launch

products.

Scott Davis

Scott Davis is the Founder and CEO of MobX, a mobile development software agency. He has 20 years of experience developing software for Government, Finance, Sports and the

Telecommunications industry.



@RobDickersonJr @The_Scott_Davis

https://mapoutlearning.com/

Are you thinking of starting a business?

Let’s dive into 3 questions.



[1]

Why do you want to start a

business?



“You really need to think about what you’re trying to do and determine if it makes sense to

start your own business.”

- Robert Dickerson



Scott’s “Why” on Starting MobX


● No longer want to be part of the corporate world● Want to be own boss● Key: Create products I could influence


“When you are experienced - or you are passionate - a certain aspect of your creativity

gets killed by that corporate mentality.”

- Scott Davis



“I wanted more control as well. I wanted more responsibility. It’s nice to be your own boss. To push things forward and really have the

freedom to make decisions.”

- Robert Dickerson



Failure is not a bad thing.

You can always pivot when you fail.



Corporate world complaints


● Slow speed ● Insufficient resources● Cutting corners● Creating inferior products


“I have to put out quality products and I have to do them right. If that takes an extra week,

then so be it.”

- Scott Davis



Interact with customers

Figure out problems

Actually solve them



Connections with people that lead to opportunities.



“You want to work together. You want to help each other out. It really helps you grow and it

really helps them grow. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship.”

-Robert Dickerson

“If you create positive relationships and do good work, it just comes naturally.”

-Scott Davis



“Work ON your business, not IN it.”

{Excerpt from E-myth by Michael Gerber}



Shift your mindset.

You have to find people you can trust.



Take a step back.

How you can grow your business without solely relying on yourself?



[2]

Are you passionate about this

idea?



“Your journey as an entrepreneur - starting your own business - has to be fun. It’s something I enjoy doing every day. If I didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t be doing it.”

- Robert Dickerson



You want employees who share your passion.

How can you sell others on your vision?




● Happiness● Money● Flexibility● Passion

“The passion for me is all about waking up every day and I can’t wait to get to work.”

-Scott Davis

The upside to your startup:


If you’re not passionate about it, you’re not going to be able to ride through the ups, downs, and crazy swings.



“What was the worst low for a week of my life, turned into the greatest adrenaline rush ever.”

- Scott Davis



“For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

Steve Jobs




1. Are you enjoying what you’re doing?2. Is what you’re doing rewarding?3. What are you getting out of it?

You need to ask yourself:


[3]

Do you have the experience,

connections, and capital to get started?



“You don’t have to know everything, but you have to have a learning mindset - where you want to connect

with people who know the things you don’t.”

-Robert Dickerson



“Learn from someone else - like a mentor. Or learn from somebody that you hire. Hire them for a specific skill set

and trust them to do their job… and learn from it.”

-Scott Davis



Don’t let lack of experience stop you.

You always need to be learning.



Leverage your connections.



How do you make sure you have enough capital to keep going?

Business type will dictate your cash flows and how they operate.



“For me, I always bootstrapped. I always did the minimum I needed to get things going. I rolled my revenue into the business and once I had enough

revenue to hire people, I did that.”

-Scott Davis



Start off small. It’s a long run payoff.




1. What do you want from your business?2. What do you want in your life that your business

is going to help you achieve?3. Are you passionate about this idea?4. Do you have the experience, connections, and

capital to get started?

Things to think about:


Create an outline.

Put together the pros and cons.



Send us some questions.

We’re happy to lend our expertise.

stretchgoals.fm



https://stretchgoals.fm

https://stretchgoals.fm

www.stretchgoals.fm