Entrepreneur: I was living out my dream of running a scuba diving business in Tonga when I realized that many of the lessons I’d learned about diving also applied to entrepreneurship. In previous parts of this series, I’ve talked about packing up my life in a 20×20 container, narrowly escaping jail and finding my boat partially submerged in the harbor. Before starting to build my actual shop, I’d already learned quite a bit about being a business owner.
Even if you’ve never been diving, as an entrepreneur, you’ll be able to relate to these lessons. After all, we’re all fish in the same ocean.
1. Never stop breathing.
This is key in scuba diving. I was well versed in the concept and was very comfortable underwater. What I didn’t realize is just how important the concept is out of the water when it comes to running a business. When many of us become stressed, we stop breathing correctly, which can interfere with how we handle stress and how we run our business.
2. Swim with the current.
In scuba diving, if you swim with the current, the entire dive is easy, relaxing and totally enjoyable. So many times as an entrepreneur, I felt like a salmon swimming upstream. I was so focused on running my business my way that I wasn’t open to going with the flow. Sometimes going with the flow would have made things much easier.
3. Prepare your exit strategy.
The term “drift diving” refers to when the boat drops you off at one end of the reef and you scuba dive to the other end – where the boat is waiting for you – by going with the current. In order for this to be a successful and relaxing dive for the dive master, he or she must coordinate with the boat captain ahead of time to be waiting at the end.
When you started, did you take the end into consideration? If you didn’t, the good news is that it’s not too late to start planning. What your boat looks like will depend on your industry, the market, supply and demand, your partners and a number of other factors. Maybe you know you want to end or sell your business in one, three or five years. Along the course, there will be navigational points that will help you better determine if your boat is on schedule.
Beneath the Surface [Entrepreneur]
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