Tony Steward

The business plan is for you - but all investors or the bank want to know is

1. Does the cash flow work?
2. When do you break even?
3. Do you have the collateral to cover the financing to get started?

They will approve a very mediocre idea/plan of the collateral is there - and will pass on something huge if it’s under leveraged.

So! The biggest foundation on being able to live your passions and make an idea reality?

Save your money - get out of debt - obtain financial discipline.

This experience has been even more proof that “having an idea” is nearly worthless of you don’t have enough courage to live the simple disciplines to make it possible. It’s not just execution once you have the idea, it’s the lifestyle of character before it that matters. Live so success can happen - and it will.

One of the most pervasive myths of startup life is that it has to be all consuming. That unless you can give your business all your thoughts and hours, you don’t deserve success. You are unworthy of the startup call. (read the rest…)

I couldnt agree more with this article. Many people thing throwing hours at something means they will do a better job at it. Or that the importance of an idea means you have to throw all your time at it. This year I’m starting two businesses. One is a retail bike shop as the epicenter of helping people find the joy of cycling and the wholeness of fitness. The other is a digital firm that gets to the business of results instead of complexity and long delays.

People has asked which one I’m going to pick, even that “man can not have two masters.” I tell them I pick “me.” That both of these things are what I find the most passion and fulfillment doing. Time management is a challenge for sure - but even more so when I let myself be a slave to others expectations or my own passivity.

But I find that if I am intentional, and focused on bringing my best and not just throwing “more” at things - launching two startups is thrilling!