3 Valuable Pieces of Business Advice

What a Paradox.  I believe I am paid for my advice when in fact I am here to listen.

Hosting a table at the Berkshire Small Business Expo was a great reminder of how important it is to meet with clients.

Talking to prospective entrepreneurs, solopreneurs and future founders, I suggust they keep their intention front and center at all times. While following their path, I advise that at each juncture, decision point, planning interval, they ask and seek answers to these three questions:

The 3 Vs: Verify. Validation. Vet.

Verify

Make sure that the information you are acting on is true. Is this just what you believe, or has it been proven? This is easier than it has ever been. I can Google or ask Siri or Alexa and do my own research. And isn’t that the point, there are places I can “check” to make sure the information I have is accurate, confirmed and substantiated, prior to acting on what I heard or felt. You can learn more about trusting your instincts here.

Validation

Taking the time to prove your theory is kinda the point of creating products and solutions your customers seek. It’s a continual process to make sure that you are producing and thinking in a way that others first understand your product and secondly, want what you have and will purchase. And I am not talking about validation “from your mother” if that is still an option. In my work with Techstars, Validation is one of the 3-Business pillars that must be built into all business planning, it is a critical aspect of judging rubics for entrepreneurial work.

Vet

I first learned this term when I started working in politics. It continues to be a very important step in all my business dealings, as well as on my personal path. This is textbook:

Make a careful and critical examination of (something).

Oxford Dicitionary

Digging into who I choose to do business with, learn about those that I get into partnerships with, the suppliers I purchase from, the people I spend time with, is a strategy that pays off both in the long and short run. I am not saying – don’t do this and don’t work with that one; what I am saying is, go in with your eyes wide open to be prepared to address what may come.

What’s Next

It’s an honor to work with others. Using the 3-Vs I can be of greatest service to provide insight to assist you on your journey and to stay in my intention. I do my best work when I remember that.