What Can An Old Fisherman Teach An Emerging Growth Business Mogul?

A few hours ago I had an interesting conversation with my buddy, Russ T.

I showed him an ad that I'm considering running for a service I plan to offer business executives and managers.

He thought the ad copy was very good.

And it was a little creative, if I say so myself!

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Then Russ T. started to ask questions.

Russ T.: What size firm are you targeting?

Blake: Oh, let's say $25,000,000 and up.

Russ T.: Your sights are too high. Why aren't you targeting smaller firms?

Blake: The lower the revenue, the less likely I'll get paid!

Russ T.: Why won't executives just go to their information tech people for this?

Blake: Because it's not an IT issue. It's a marketing issue.

Russ T.: Who's the competition?

Blake: I don't know ... and It doesn't matter.

Russ T.: Why doesn't it matter? You really need to know this stuff before committing your resources to it?

Blake: It doesn't matter because I don't really care about competition at this point. I'm more concerned with whether or not someone might buy the service. And my resources are simply a few bucks for the ad.

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You see, Russ T. is an Emerging Growth Business Mogul. He's also an engineer.

So he analyzes everything to death. That's just his nature. He mostly won't move on a business idea untill it's very well analyzed.

This exchange reminded me of fishing with my old Uncle growing up. He would frequently take my brothers and I around with him. And fishing was one of his passions.

On one of our outings, My Uncle ran into a buddy, another fisherman. Let's call him, uh, Bud.

My Uncle asked Bud about fishing holes he'd frequented recently.

Bud, sadly, hadn't been to any recently.

According to him, one favored spot just had too many fishermen.

Another spot had to have the exact right temperature or the fish wouldn't bite.

Bud hadn't been to a third spot in a while because someone else told him the fish had moved on.

Bud lamented about all of the money he'd invested in bait and hooks.

Now my Uncle, probably braggin' a bit, told Bud that he'd recently caught lots of fish in all of those places.

At that point Bud frowned, abruptly said his goodbyes, and huffed off ... smoke spewing from every body cavity!

My Uncle turned to us, smiled, and said:

"If you want to catch fish, you've got to be a fisherman, not someone that just talks about it all the damned time!"

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Listen To My Interviews With Emerging Growth Executives Seeking To Catch The Big Fish!

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The lesson here, Emerging Growth Business Mogul, is this:

• Sometimes, to move fast, you just do a little analysis ... but not over-analysis!

• Then put the bait on the hook

• Cast the line into the lake

• ... And see what you catch!

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This little poem sums it all up for you:

I like you much

And really enjoyed a bunch

All of our time today

But if I stay too long

And sing old songs

The fish will get away!

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I'd like to hear your stories.

Tell me about a time you over-analyzed a business situation ... and maybe let one get away!