As entrepreneurs it’s difficult to develop a leadership culture that challenges the “status quo” without putting yourself on the line. For years I have been challenged repeatedly on my so-called “Thinking Outside The Box” mentality. It is both my strength and my weakness. My ideas tend to be so grandiose at times that others either can’t see the dream or can’t comprehend its fluidity.
As a result, my ideas can often be created in a vacuum without honest feedback. The weakness being that I find myself with my head in the clouds dreaming rather than implementing. As a result…I end up with a whole lot of dreams…but very little action.
The challenge comes in building a team around me that not only can see the dream, but believe in it and can take action to make it happen. Ultimately allowing me the freedom to do what I do best…come up with better and bigger dreams.
To do this requires a balancing act of understanding who I am and where I fit into the hierarchy of my leadership team, while remaining vulnerable enough to warrant their acceptance and ownership of the dream.
My dream for my company MarketAtomy, LLC is to build a culture that believes there is an entrepreneur in everyone no matter what station in life or economic challenges. We live in a country that fosters this mentality and the possibility. However, in a country where it is so easy to start a business…it is not as easy to grow a business. Most of the help offered through organizations that tout they are here for small business provide either simple checklists for what needs to be done or won’t even consider helping unless they are making a half million in gross revenues. The result being that out of the more than 500 thousand new businesses opened every year, more than 75% have failed within two years. My IMPACT or BIG dream is to make a substantial dent in the number of failed businesses through education, mentoring and accountability coaching to ensure they remain on track. Additionally, I plan to be in front of Congress within three years to fight for financial incentives for small businesses that demonstrate they have put in the time and effort to learning the skills and tools needed to effectively grow a sustaining business. BIG, BIG dream right?
How am I going to do that? By surrounding myself with a team of BIG thinkers like me who believe in my “Crusade” and can take up the challenge with me. In order to build the culture needed to make this happen I realize that I need to come at this from a place of transparency.
- I first need to engage them in how the idea came to mind in the first place. By admitting that I have had two failed businesses under my belt puts me out there in an uncomfortable position …but at the same time may resonate with them as “familiar” territory having done that…got the T-shirt.
- Secondly, I need to allow my team to own the dream by providing an open platform for them to communicate freely…challenging and adding to the dream.
- Next, I have to TRUST by VERIFY that they are able and willing to contribute to the implementation of the dream, providing the forward-focused momentum needed to complete their tasks
- Finally, acknowledging them all and celebrating when the dream is accomplished. It is no longer my dream…but our dream.
So…if you are a BIG dreamer or Visionary, surrounding yourself with other team members who are of like mind will only enhance your dream and fuel the dream. Teams of this caliber tend to not only contribute to the dream but they also engage their own influencers/followers that only strengthens support.
MarketAtomy, LLC equips entrepreneurs with skills based learning, tools, mentoring and coaching needed build a solid infrastructure for business growth. If you are in need of more in-depth assistance our “Done-With-You” consulting services are available at the click of a button by going to https://www.marketatomy.com.
Biography
Danna is a Business Growth Strategist and CEO of MarketAtomy, LLC. Her passion is working with small first stage entrepreneurs to ensure that they start out on the right foot and stay on the path to financial freedom. Known as the Business Birthing Specialist, Danna understands the intricacies involved in starting and running a successful business. As an intricate component ingrained into her client’s business structure, she works diligently to keep her clients accountable and on track to fulfilling their success goals.
A graduate of the University of Central Florida’s College of Business. She brings more than 35 years of strategic planning experience in business, marketing and business development both nationally and internationally.
Danna is not only a professional business growth strategist but has worked as an International Strategist within the country of Brazil, is a public speaker and #1 Best Selling Author on Amazon with collaborative books “Success From The Heart” and “Journey To The Stage.” She has also published her own book “MarketAtomy: What To Expect When Expecting A Business” available through Amazon on Kindle.
