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The Founder’s Evolution

January 19, 2022 by Scott Ritzheimer

The demands of leadership are constantly changing. At the ground level, it can feel like you've been blindsided or entirely off the map altogether. But our evolution as leaders follows a predictable pattern. And if you know and understand that pattern, you'll excel as a leader with a fraction of the heartaches and headaches.

It’s the championship game. There are 6 seconds left, and your team is down by 4. You’ve got the ball, but it’s fourth and goal on your opponents’ 3-yard line. A field goal isn’t enough. You only have one option. You go for it, all or nothing.

You have the perfect play for this situation. It’s a fake to the running back and a quick toss over the outside shoulder of your star wide receiver in the corner of the end zone. The team has practiced the play hundreds of times. They’re ready.

You call the play and stand nervously on the sideline. You’ve been the one on the field when it’s all on the line. You’ve been in their shoes. You’ve thrown that same pass so many times by now you could do it in your sleep.

But you’re coaching now. Now, you lead from the sideline. There’s nothing you can do at this moment but hope that everything you’ve done to prepare your team is enough.

The quarterback gets the ball, fakes to the running back, and it works; the defense bites and collapses on the hole in the line. It’s only been a split second, but so far, everything is going to plan.

But then you look at your receiver. Horror. He’s blocking. He’s not running the route. You know what needs to happen. You know where the ball is going. You know he won’t be there.

What do you do? 

You take off faster than even you thought possible. You race down the sideline, onto the field, into the back corner of the end zone, and make the catch!

And the crowd goes wild!

Except they don’t. 

Eighty thousand people in one place, and you could hear a pin drop.

Silence. 

Not even the broadcasters know what to say. Everyone is speechless. 

You do your end zone dance, but the scoreboard doesn’t change.

Then you see them. Little yellow flags everywhere. And men in black and white stripes running toward you.

“Unsportsmanlike conduct. Fifteen yards from the spot of the foul.” 

Game over. You lost.

Your team stands shocked. Both players and coaches are still processing what happened. Some shake their heads. Others hang theirs in shame.

Everyone wonders, “Did that really just happen?”

Okay, this is ludicrous. Crazy. 

No one in their mind would ever do it. In the history of professional football championships, it has never happened. 

But is it really all that crazy? Is it truly unheard of?

Not by a long shot

I see this same scenario happen every day, not on the sports field but in the companies, churches, and nonprofits I work with. I see leaders leap from their sidelines, make the diving catch, only to get up and wonder why no one cheers and everyone, including them, is so exhausted.

The answer is surprisingly simple. Even though you’ve been CEO since the day you started your organization, your position has changed and will go through 7 distinct transformations. To altogether avoid the exhaustion and frustration many of us have come to accept as just part of the deal, all you need to do is recognize how your role has changed and act accordingly.

The dynamism of leadership

Leadership is anything but static. It’s constantly changing. The moment you finally get your hands wrapped around a challenge, it seems like the rug is pulled out from under you, and a brand new challenge stands in front of you–one that you are almost certainly unprepared to face.

I love it! 

And I’d be willing to bet you do too (or at least you did, but we’ll get to that later).

We love the challenge. We love the change. We love the character it builds in those who stay in the game, adapt to the changes, and roll with the punches. We love knowing there is always more, that there is always a new hill to conquer and another mountain to scale. No matter how much you’ve grown as a leader, there is more to learn. You have room to grow and another adventure on which to embark.

And while I love the challenge, few things break my heart like seeing a great leader stall. It’s easy to feel the sting of potential (or present) defeat and fall back to what we know and trust, what we’re good at. And in doing so, we sell ourselves short, not because we aren’t good at what we do, but precisely because we are good at what we do.

As leaders, we sell ourselves short, not because we aren't good at what we do, but precisely because we are good at what we do. Click To Tweet

You see, the greatest trap leaders, even great leaders, fall into is to create so much success at one stage of leadership that they are necessarily thrust into the next. In and of itself, this is hardly a problem. You could even say that is the goal.

The problem lies, instead, in our response. 

Here’s how our thinking goes:

“What got me here is XYZ, and the better I got at XYZ, the more my influence, income, and/or impact grew.”

“So the keys to my success are XYZ.

“When I face a new challenge, I’ll employ XYZ, and I’ll become more successful.”

You and I know it doesn’t work this way. It’s the coach trying to make the catch and save the day for his team and breaking everything instead.

However, you and I act this way every single day. All great leaders do. At least to some extent.

How do I know? Because that’s what made them great leaders.

Great leaders become great leaders by doing more of what works than anyone else around them.

And that works until it doesn’t.

It works until it doesn’t

And that’s the key. How do you know when your current leadership strategy is going to expire?

That’s what this extended articles series is all about. I’m going to show you the seven distinct stages a founder goes through as she grows her organization and her leadership. 

More importantly, I will show you the seven transition points and the thresholds that stand between each stage. The ones that trip up unknowing leaders every single day.

But you don’t have to trip. You can step right over each threshold and keep on running, so long as you know where it is, and you know how to step. While that changes at each stage, it is, as you will see, highly predictable.

I will teach you how to look around the corner at what is coming in your development as a leader.

Who this series is for

I love founders. They are collectively and individually my heroes. Brave men and women who leave the comfort and security of their current circumstances to try and make something new. Each and every one of them is an underdog; the odds stacked heavily against them.

When it comes to leadership, theirs is the most visible endeavor. Most founders out there today are leading at the highest level they’ve ever led. They are leading the largest organization they’ve ever led. And the vast majority of them are doing it without any semblance of a map.

And when they fail, which they do with great regularity, everyone sees it. There’s no hiding at the top of an org chart. There’s no slipping away when it’s your signature scribbled on all the documents. There’s no one else to take over when you’re out of your depth.

And for these reasons, I am writing specifically to those who founded their organization.

While this series is explicitly directed at those who took the brave but fraught step of starting their own organizations, the principles at play are true in every leadership evolution. So, even if you haven’t started your organization, there is plenty in this series for you to learn.

A universal pattern

First, as I mentioned, these principles apply to every leadership evolution. While the anecdotes and some phraseology may differ from your circumstance, the truth behind the words stands true. 

And this isn’t me tooting my own horn. As a leader, I spent the first decade of my working life rushing through these stages. It was whiplash at best. I was succeeding, but it sure didn’t feel like it on most days. I was, in the words of the great Bon Jovi, “living on a prayer.” I even had the Bon Jovi hair for a stint, but we won’t go there.

It wasn’t until I started coaching and consulting that the patterns suddenly came into focus. When you are at the ground level, it is exceptionally challenging to see the patterns at play. But once you zoom out, it’s much easier to see the big picture. I’ve had the fortunate experience of being able to zoom out. To witness a volume of stories that are not my own and recognize the repetition that occurs again and again in every story.

And it’s not just me.

As these stages began to take shape in my mind, I started to look outward for validation. However, I couldn’t look to leadership books that all suffered the same myopia I once had for one reason or another.

Fortunately, the answer hit me when I read The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. Story nerds will know who that is, but for the busy leaders reading this article, suffice it to say that Joseph Campbell is “The Godfather” of modern story structure. He identified a pattern called the Hero’s Journey. As I read through the different stages of the hero’s journey, I realized Campbell had identified the very same path that I have seen countless founders journey. We were using different language, but we were describing the same truth. And when I saw that same truth come through a profoundly different source, I realized this was more than a few anecdotes I experienced along the way.

There is a universal pattern at work. If we can understand that pattern and identify where we are within it, we can accurately and effectively determine what we need to do to succeed NOW.

The aha moment

I’ve had the privilege of hearing the stories of countless founders. And one thing I noticed was how frequently they all had an aha moment, an epiphany; some may even say a calling. Of course, it happened well before they ever became a “founder,” but it was a pivotal point in their story and their career.

The second reason for this series is you may be reading this as a pre-founder. You may not have words for it, but you have been feeling inner angst starting to build. You may be wondering if you have what it takes. You are stuck between the belief that there is a better way and the doubt that you’d ever be the one to make it happen.

If so, guess what?

Your founder’s evolution has already begun. You are in Founder’s Evolution Stage 1: The Dissatisfied Employee. And that’s the topic of our next article. 

The road ahead

Before we go any further, I want to quickly list all seven stages for you as they will serve as a roadmap for this article series and your journey through the Founder’s Evolution.

  • Stage 1: The Dissatisfied Employee
  • Stage 2: The Startup Entrepreneur
  • Stage 3: The Reluctant Manager
  • Stage 4: The Overwhelmed Leader
  • Stage 5: The Chief Executive
  • Stage 6: The True Owner
  • Stage 7: The Visionary Founder

A position on a sports team will illustrate each stage. If you don’t know sports, that’s no problem at all. You’ll be able to follow right along with no problem.

For each stage, I’ll also share several key facets about the stage that will help you to identify when you’ve stepped into the stage, succeed in that stage, and recognize when that stage has come and gone. 

As we work through the series together, you’ll find that one question defines each stage. You will find these seven questions to be surprisingly illuminating and, if viewed correctly, profoundly challenging. My hope is that if you remember nothing else, you will remember these questions because they are the very beating heart of your evolution as a founder! 

A final note

I’ve helped start over 20,000 organizations, businesses, churches, schools; you name it. I’ve helped men and women, and I’ve seen both succeed and fail. I’ve been a founding member of multiple businesses, a church, and an international ministry, and I’ve seen some succeed and some fail.

Having had the rare experience of sitting at the intersection of the for-profit and not-for-profit worlds for my whole career and seeing such an enormous volume of founders’ stories, I can tell you that this pattern holds true no matter what type of organization the founder is starting.

I may use words and phrases like business world or he or organizational or she, but I’m doing so for the sake of simplicity and not to identify a specific subset. If I need to identify a particular group to highlight an important nuance, I’ll state that clearly. Otherwise, you can assume, regardless of the phrase, that it applies to you.

Prev 1 of 4 Next
  • The most ridiculous mistake we make in business EVERY DAY

    The most ridiculous mistake we make in business EVERY DAY

    It's the championship game. There are 6 seconds left, and your team is down by 4. You've got the ball, but it's fourth and goal on your opponents' 3-yard line. A field goal isn't enough. You only have one option. You go for it, all or nothing.
    You have the perfect play for this situation. It's a fake to the running back and a quick toss over the outside shoulder of your star wide receiver in the corner of the end zone. The team has practiced the play hundreds of times. They're ready.
    You call the play and stand nervously on the sideline. You've been the one on the field when it's all on the line. You've been in their shoes. You've thrown that same pass so many times by now you could do it in your sleep.
    But you're coaching now. Now, you lead from the sideline. There's nothing you can do at this moment but hope that everything you've done to prepare your team is enough.
    The quarterback gets the ball, fakes to the running back, and it works; the defense bites and collapses on the hole in the line. It's only been a split second, but so far, everything is going to plan.
    But then you look at your receiver. Horror. He's blocking. He's not running the route. You know what needs to happen. You know where the ball is going. You know he won't be there.
    What do you do?
    You take off faster than even you thought possible. You race down the sideline, onto the field, into the back corner of the end zone, and make the catch!
    And the crowd goes wild!
    Except they don't.
    Eighty thousand people in one place, and you could hear a pin drop.
    Silence.
    Not even the broadcasters know what to say. Everyone is speechless.
    You do your end zone dance, but the scoreboard doesn't change.
    Then you see them. Little yellow flags everywhere. And men in black and white stripes running toward you.
    "Unsportsmanlike conduct. Fifteen yards from the spot of the foul."
    Game over. You lost.
    Your team stands shocked. Both players and coaches are still processing what happened. Some shake their heads. Others hang theirs in shame.
    Everyone wonders, "Did that really just happen?"
    Okay, this is ludicrous. Crazy.
    No one in their mind would ever do it. In the history of professional football championships, it has never happened.
    But is it really all that crazy? Is it truly unheard of?
    Not by a long shot
    I see this same scenario happen every day, not on the sports field but in the companies, churches, and nonprofits I work with. I see leaders leap from their sidelines make the diving catch, only to get up and wonder why no one cheers and everyone, including them, is so exhausted.
    The answer is surprisingly simple. Even though you've been CEO since the day you started your organization, your position has changed and will go through 7 distinct transformations. To altogether avoid the exhaustion and frustration many of us have come to accept as just part of the deal, all you need to do is recognize how your role has changed and act accordingly.
    And that's what this series is all about. I'm going to walk you through the real world, real-life nuts, and bolts of being a founder and growing your organization to achieve your vision.
    So stay tuned for the next video, where I'll reveal why every leader gets stuck and precisely how to keep it from happening to you!

    Read the Article: https://www.scalearchitects.com/blog/the-founders-evolution/

    #business #entrepreneur #focus #people #businessowner #businesstips #businessquotes #businessgrowth #businessgoals #coach

    Like what you see? You can find more great content from Scale Architects here!

    Website: https://www.scalearchitects.com
    Blog: https://www.scalearchitects.com/blog
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/achitectscale
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scalearchitects
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChLj9yjac5P7UMFxoWuG8Zw/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/architect_scale
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/scale_architect
  • The dynamism of leadership

    The dynamism of leadership

    Leadership is anything but static. It's constantly changing. The moment you finally get your hands wrapped around a challenge, it seems like the rug is pulled out from under you, and a brand new challenge stands in front of you–one that you are almost certainly unprepared to face.
    I love it!
    And I'd be willing to bet you do too (or at least you did, but we'll get to that later).
    We love the challenge. We love the change. We love the character it builds in those who stay in the game, adapt to the changes, and roll with the punches. We love knowing there is always more, that there is always a new hill to conquer and another mountain to scale. No matter how much you've grown as a leader, there is more to learn. You have room to grow and another adventure on which to embark.
    And while I love the challenge, a few things break my heart, like seeing a great leader stall. It's easy to feel the sting of potential (or present) defeat and fall back to what we know and trust, what we're good at. And in doing so, we sell ourselves short, not because we aren't good at what we do, but precisely because we are good at what we do.
    As leaders, we sell ourselves short, not because we aren't good at what we do, but precisely because we are good at what we do.
    You see, the greatest trap leaders, even great leaders, fall into is to create so much success at one stage of leadership that they are necessarily thrust into the next. In and of itself, this is hardly a problem. You could even say that is the goal.
    The problem lies, instead, in our response.
    Here's how our thinking goes:
    "What got me here is XYZ, and the better I got at XYZ, the more my influence, income, and/or impact grew."
    "So the keys to my success are XYZ.
    "When I face a new challenge, I'll employ XYZ, and I'll become more successful."
    You and I know it doesn't work this way. It's the coach trying to make the catch and save the day for his team and breaking everything instead.
    However, you and I act this way every single day. All great leaders do. At least to some extent.
    How do I know? Because that's what made them great leaders.
    Great leaders become great leaders by doing more of what works than anyone else around them.
    And that works until it doesn't.
    And that's the key. How do you know when your current leadership strategy is going to expire?
    That's what this extended series is all about. I'm going to show you the seven distinct stages a founder goes through as she grows her organization and her leadership.
    More importantly, I will show you the seven transition points and the thresholds that stand between each stage. The ones that trip up unknowing leaders every single day.
    But you don't have to trip. You can step right over each threshold and keep on running, so long as you know where it is, and you know how to step. While that changes at each stage, it is, as you will see, highly predictable.
    I will teach you how to look around the corner at what is coming in your development as a leader.

    Read the Article: https://www.scalearchitects.com/blog/the-founders-evolution/

    #business #entrepreneur #focus #people #businessowner #businesstips #businessquotes #businessgrowth #businessgoals #coach

    Like what you see? You can find more great content from Scale Architects here!

    Website: https://www.scalearchitects.com
    Blog: https://www.scalearchitects.com/blog
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/achitectscale
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scalearchitects
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChLj9yjac5P7UMFxoWuG8Zw/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/architect_scale
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/scale_architect
  • The journey every leader must take

    The journey every leader must take

    I love founders. They are collectively and individually my heroes. Brave men and women who leave the comfort and security of their current circumstances to try and make something new. Each and every one of them is an underdog; the odds stacked heavily against them.
    When it comes to leadership, theirs is the most visible endeavor. Most founders out there today are leading at the highest level they've ever led. They are leading the largest organization they've ever led. And the vast majority of them are doing it without any semblance of a map.
    And when they fail, which they do with great regularity, everyone sees it. There's no hiding at the top of an org chart. There's no slipping away when it's your signature scribbled on all the documents. There's no one else to take over when you're out of your depth.
    And for these reasons, I am writing specifically to those who founded their organization.
    While this series is explicitly directed at those who took the brave but fraught step of starting their own organizations, the principles at play are true in every leadership evolution. So, even if you haven't started your organization, there is plenty in this series for you to learn.
    These principles apply to every leadership evolution. While the anecdotes and some phraseology may differ from your circumstance, the truth behind the words stands true.
    And this isn't me tooting my own horn. As a leader, I spent the first decade of my working life rushing through these stages. It was whiplash at best. I was succeeding, but it sure didn't feel like it on most days. I was, in the words of the great Bon Jovi, "living on a prayer." I even had the Bon Jovi hair for a stint, but we won't go there.
    It wasn't until I started coaching and consulting that the patterns suddenly came into focus. When you are at the ground level, it is exceptionally challenging to see the patterns at play. But once you zoom out, it's much easier to see the big picture. I've had the fortunate experience of being able to zoom out. To witness a volume of stories that are not my own and recognize the repetition that occurs again and again in every story.
    And it's not just me.
    As these stages began to take shape in my mind, I started to look outward for validation. However, I couldn't look to leadership books that all suffered the same myopia I once had for one reason or another.
    Fortunately, the answer hit me when I read The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. Story nerds will know who that is, but for the busy leaders watching these videos, suffice it to say that Joseph Campbell is "The Godfather" of modern story structure. He identified a pattern called the Hero's Journey. As I read through the different stages of the hero's journey, I realized Campbell had identified the very same path that I have seen countless founders journey. We were using different language, but we were describing the same truth. And when I saw that same truth come through a profoundly different source, I realized this was more than a few anecdotes I experienced along the way.
    There is a universal pattern at work. If we can understand that pattern and identify where we are within it, we can accurately and effectively determine what we need to do to succeed NOW.
    I've had the privilege of hearing the stories of countless founders. And one thing I noticed was how frequently they all had an aha moment, an epiphany; some may even say a calling. Of course, it happened well before they ever became a "founder," but it was a pivotal point in their story and their career.
    The second reason for this series is you may be reading this as a pre-founder. You may not have words for it, but you have been feeling inner angst starting to build. You may be wondering if you have what it takes. You are stuck between the belief that there is a better way and the doubt that you'd ever be the one to make it happen.
    If so, guess what?
    Your founder's evolution has already begun. You are in Founder's Evolution Stage 1: The Dissatisfied Employee. But before we get there, I want to take a quick moment in the next video to quickly introduce the seven stages of the Founder's Evolution. I'll see you there!


    Read the Article: https://www.scalearchitects.com/blog/the-founders-evolution/

    #business #entrepreneur #focus #people #businessowner #businesstips #businessquotes #businessgrowth #businessgoals #coach

    Like what you see? You can find more great content from Scale Architects here!

    Website: https://www.scalearchitects.com
    Blog: https://www.scalearchitects.com/blog
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/achitectscale
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scalearchitects
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChLj9yjac5P7UMFxoWuG8Zw/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/architect_scale
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/scale_architect
  • The Founders Evolution

    The Founders Evolution

    Every single founder follows a highly predictable path on their way to becoming a Legendary Founder whose impact is truly remarkable. But it doesn't feel like that at all when you're in it. In fact, it feels like anything but predictable.
    Yet, I've found the path that we all follow, and I want to show it to you. And when I do, you will be astonished at how well it describes your past experience and, if you will let it, how rapidly it accelerates your growth as a leader.
    Throughout this extended series, I'm going to take you on a journey through all seven stages. But first, I want to quickly list all seven stages for you as they will serve as a roadmap for your journey through the Founder's Evolution.
    • Stage 1: The Dissatisfied Employee
    • Stage 2: The Startup Entrepreneur
    • Stage 3: The Reluctant Manager
    • Stage 4: The Overwhelmed Leader
    • Stage 5: The Chief Executive Officer
    • Stage 6: The True Owner
    • Stage 7: The Legendary Founder
    To make it simple to understand and grab hold of, I'll use a position on a sports team to illustrate each stage. If you don't know sports, that's no problem at all. You'll be able to follow right along with no problem.
    For each stage, I'll also share several key facets about the stage that will help you to identify when you've stepped into the stage, succeed in that stage, and recognize when that stage has come and gone.
    As we work through the series together, you'll find that one question defines each stage. You will find these seven questions to be surprisingly illuminating and, if viewed correctly, profoundly challenging. My hope is that if you remember nothing else, you will remember these questions because they are the very beating heart of your evolution as a founder!
    I've helped start over 20,000 organizations: businesses, churches, schools; you name it. I've helped men and women, and I've seen both succeed and fail. I've been a founding member of multiple businesses, a church, and an international ministry, and I've seen some succeed and some fail.
    Having had the rare experience of sitting at the intersection of the for-profit and not-for-profit worlds for my whole career and seeing such an enormous volume of founders' stories, I can tell you that this pattern holds true no matter what type of organization the founder is starting.
    I may use words and phrases like business world or he or organizational or she, but I'm doing so for the sake of simplicity and not to identify a specific subset. If I need to identify a particular group to highlight an important nuance, I'll state that clearly. Otherwise, you can assume, regardless of the phrase, that it applies to you.
    I'm excited to set off on this journey with you! And to get started we'll go right to the beginning with Stage 1: The Dissatisfied Employee.

    Read the Article: https://www.scalearchitects.com/blog/the-founders-evolution/

    #business #entrepreneur #focus #people #businessowner #businesstips #businessquotes #businessgrowth #businessgoals #coach

    Like what you see? You can find more great content from Scale Architects here!

    Website: https://www.scalearchitects.com
    Blog: https://www.scalearchitects.com/blog
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/achitectscale
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scalearchitects
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChLj9yjac5P7UMFxoWuG8Zw/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/architect_scale
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/scale_architect
  • Are You Feeling a Little Crazy?

    Are You Feeling a Little Crazy?

    The very first stage of the Founder's Evolution happens before you become a Founder. Without this first stage, the journey never is. While it is existentially vital, the first stage is far from comfortable. In fact, it is marked by dissatisfaction. It is by definition uncomfortable. And it needs to be.
    Unfortunately, nothing great ever begins with comfortable people. When we are content, we resist change. We fight to maintain the status quo. We cling to and even defend what we have.
    It is for this reason comfortable people don't become Founders. Comfortable people don't launch businesses, plant new churches, or start new nonprofits.
    No one in their right mind would!
    8 out of 10 new organizations fail.
    Let me say that another way.
    8 out of 10 new founders fail.
    That stings a lot more.
    Founding a new organization is incredibly risky. It takes guts. And honestly, it takes a little bit of crazy.
    And this is what happens in the heart and mind of "pre-founders" at the genesis of their evolution. They are starting to feel a little crazy.
    "Pre-founders" may begin "feeling a little crazy" for many reasons, but at the core exist one question.
    "Isn't there a better way?"
    We tend to cast founders as unemployed slackers living in their parents' basement, unable to get by in the real world or hold down a real job. But that stereotype is dead wrong.
    The truth is, founders (especially those who succeed as founders) start as employees. And they're not your everyday, run-of-the-mill employees. They are often earning 25% to 50% more than the average pay for their role. And the type of role they're in doesn't matter. They can be servers at a restaurant, an executive pastor, or even a Chief Operating Officer. Whatever it is they are doing, you will find the vast majority of pre-founders excelling.
    But what separates them from the rest is dissatisfaction. It isn't enough.
    Now it can be money, but more often than not, it is the freedom and autonomy to create a better way. A better way for their career. A better way for their clients or members. A better way for the world around them.
    There has to be a better way. There must be more. And it's here that the vision is born.
    But it's not quite time to take the leap. That is Stage 2: The Startup Entrepreneur.
    Remember the 8 out of 10 who failed? Many founders who fail, fail because they jump too soon.
    And this brings us back to the purpose of this entire series. You must first accurately identify the stage you are in and then work the right strategy until the transition happens and you enter the next stage.
    So let's look at the specific strategy you need to implement to make the most of Stage 1 and set yourself up for success in Stage 2: The Startup Entrepreneur.

    Read the Article:https://bit.ly/3AzRoaf

    #business #entrepreneur #focus #people #businessowner #businesstips #businessquotes #businessgrowth #businessgoals #coach

    Like what you see? You can find more great content from Scale Architects here!

    Website: https://www.scalearchitects.com
    Blog: https://www.scalearchitects.com/blog
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/achitectscale
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scalearchitects
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChLj9yjac5P7UMFxoWuG8Zw/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/architect_scale
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/scale_architect
  • Training Happens Before the Game

    Training Happens Before the Game

    To do that, I need to introduce the sports position we'll use to illustrate Stage 1: The Trainee. The trainee is someone who isn't in the game yet. But what makes them different from the spectators in the stands is proximity.
    They are on the sidelines of the game. They are watching it first hand. They are studying and learning as much as possible. They aren't trying to reinvent or revolutionize anything. They couldn't even if they tried. They're not trying to impose themselves on the game or tell the players what to do. They are students - watching and learning.
    They're on the practice squad serving those already in the game. In exchange, trainees are gaining experience and an inside look at how the machine works.
    The metaphor breaks down here not because it's incorrect but because it is so rare in the business world. Instead, we try to shortcut this step or skip it altogether. It's more evident in the sports world because you can't haul off and start a new team. Not in the same way you can start a new organization.
    Anyone can start a new organization these days. It's very easy.
    And while I don't think the government should impose any arbitrary limitations on the ability to start a new organization, as founders (or pre-founders, to be precise), we shouldn't confuse the ability to create a new organization with the ability to lead a successful one.
    The difference is intentional time spent on the practice squad. As dissatisfied employees, we cannot let our dissatisfaction sabotage our success by making the leap and hanging our shingle too early. Instead, we need to leverage our discontent to make the extra effort to get around the best players in the game and watch them closely.
    If you want to get in the game and be an entrepreneur, you need to leverage your dissatisfaction to make the extra effort to get around the best players in the game and watch them closely.
    And there is a specific way to do it, and that is the topic of the next video. You won't want to miss it.

    Read the Article:https://bit.ly/3AzRoaf

    #business #entrepreneur #focus #people #businessowner #businesstips #businessquotes #businessgrowth #businessgoals #coach

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  • Don't start a company before you do this

    Don't start a company before you do this

    And that is the essential strategy for Phase 1 of your Founder's Evolution. You need to find as many ways as possible to get near the game, understand it, and practice it before you get into it. Louis Pasteur said, "Chance favors only the prepared mind." And by getting yourself near the game, you are giving yourself the best chances of entering the game at precisely the right moment.
    So get near the game. And if you're wondering how here are a few suggestions.
    Get hired
    If you want to start an organization of a specific type or within a particular industry, or in one particular place, you may want to go work for someone else who already is (or is close).
    This strategy won't feel like Plan A. It may feel like a step backward. It may even be a step back in pay or benefits or hours or prestige. But it is one of the best ways to prepare yourself for the day you make the leap. And more often than not, it is better than the alternative–volunteering.
    Volunteer
    Yes, I'm serious. If you can't get paid to learn the ropes, then do it unpaid. The cost of volunteering is substantially less than failing as an entrepreneur 100% of the time. If you are that passionate about starting your own organization, then time spent volunteering for someone already succeeding in the space is nothing less than a worthy investment.
    Volunteering takes a tremendous amount of humility. Especially if you've already experienced success in your career, but having started organizations that have succeeded and failed, I can tell you that you should never even begin the journey to becoming a Legendary Founder if you aren't first willing to take on the humility of a trainee. Entrepreneurship is a constant lesson in humility, so you might as well get on that train now.
    Get close
    If you can't get hired or volunteer, the next best thing is getting close to those in the game. Befriend them, help them, interview them, follow them on social media. Don't be a stalker. Be a learner. Honestly, it will take some persistence. Successful people are typically busy people. Be civil but determined. Be clear in what you want but respectful of the boundaries they set.
    Listen and read
    The only way to evolve as a founder or any leader for that matter is to learn. It doesn't matter one bit if you were great in school or not. Some of the most legendary founders never made it to high school. Others have graduate degrees from Ivy League schools. So classical education, for better or worse, is irrelevant.
    What matters is whether you are a learner or not. If you get in the game thinking you know everything, you are in for a rude awakening. The particular challenge for a founder in Stage 1 is to both assume you don't know anything before making your decision AND have unwarranted confidence you've made the right decision. Furthermore, it's vital to know when to change that decision once you realize it was wrong.
    The best way to prepare yourself for this paradox is to be a student of the game.

    Read the Article:https://bit.ly/3AzRoaf

    #business #entrepreneur #focus #people #businessowner #businesstips #businessquotes #businessgrowth #businessgoals #coach

    Like what you see? You can find more great content from Scale Architects here!

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  • Surviving your time as a dissatisfied employee

    Surviving your time as a dissatisfied employee

    Stage 1 is challenging. No one wants to extend and increase their dissatisfaction knowingly, but that is what being a Dissatisfied Employee is all about. What you're doing is storing up fuel for when the going gets tough.
    Because as uncomfortable as this stage is, it's not very difficult. In fact, there is a special gift that you can only enjoy at this stage.
    There is no pressure.
    Sure, it doesn't feel like there's no pressure. You're probably working at least two jobs. Every day you don't make the leap feels like you're dying inside, at least a little. But the truth is, there is no pressure. If you get near a game you don't like; you get to quit before you ever start.
    At the end of the day, if you work or volunteer for someone else in the game, the score doesn't matter. You're not there to win; you're there to learn. And you can learn every bit as much from a loss as you will a win. You don't have to meet payroll. You don't have to pay corporate taxes. You don't have to hire or fire people. At the end of it all, the buck stops with someone else.
    Enjoy it. Seriously. Enjoy it.
    These pressures are real. Ask anyone in the game, and they'll tell you. So don't miss this gift of Stage 1.
    Now, you may feel like you've stalled. You'll feel the impatience boiling. But know that what you learn in the following days and months can save you years and decades once you hang your shingle.

    Read the Article:https://bit.ly/3AzRoaf

    #business #entrepreneur #focus #people #businessowner #businesstips #businessquotes #businessgrowth #businessgoals #coach

    Like what you see? You can find more great content from Scale Architects here!

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  • How do you know when you should take the leap

    How do you know when you should take the leap

    How do you know when you should take the leap?
    Throughout this series, one theme you will repeatedly hear is the need to assess your "when" accurately. And the only way to master the "when" is to understand each of the transition points along the journey. They are essential to navigating the when of your evolution as a founder.
    For now, I want to introduce the first transition so you can keep an eye out for it if you currently find yourself in Stage 1 of the founder's evolution.
    And in this video, we are talking about how to know "when" you should start your new business or nonprofit.
    First, if you missed the previous video, the first thing you need to do is go back and watch it, then implement it again and again and again.
    Then, at some point, the frustration will hit a boiling point, which will intersect with some external timing event.
    • You'll get a new boss at your day job who is simply insufferable.
    • You'll have a falling out with your current boss.
    • You'll get passed over for a promotion.
    • You'll be offered a promotion that you don't really want.
    • You'll have a chance meeting with a potential business partner or investor.
    • The timing will be just right for the market.
    You'll know in your heart of hearts it is time. And because you've been close to the game actively engaged in learning and preparing, you'll be ready at a moment's notice to make the leap and start your organization.
    And that's when you reach Stage 2 of the Founder's Evolution in all it's excitement and grandeur and become a startup entrepreneur.

    Read the Article:https://bit.ly/3AzRoaf

    #business #entrepreneur #focus #people #businessowner #businesstips #businessquotes #businessgrowth #businessgoals #coach

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  • The Entrepreneur Smile

    The Entrepreneur Smile

    I have a brilliant practice golf swing. You know, that obligatory fake shot you make before you actually step up and hit the ball. I'm great at that fake shot. It's smooth. It's powerful. It looks good. And I imagine the ball going right where it's supposed to every time.
    It's so good that I've come to the conclusion that it's not my swing that is the problem. The real problem is when the ball gets in the way. That thing has a mind of its own.
    Many brand new entrepreneurs and founders face this exact same feeling. They've thought and dreamt of starting their own organization over and over again in their mind. They've seen the freedom they can have. They've smiled as the thought of success rose to the surface of their mind.
    And then they start. They make the leap. They step up to the ball. And instead of that beautiful straight line off the tee, the ball starts out straight before slicing hard to the right. And now they're in the woods.
    The wonderful thing about it is most of us are fine with that. Much to our family and friends' bewilderment, we'd rather be hacking away at a ball 40 yards into the woods and be in the game. That's infinitely better than hitting perfect shots on the driving range, or even worse, watching someone else hitting perfect shots in their own game.
    And so, if you were to go out and ask any random startup entrepreneur how the new business is going. You are going to get a huge smile followed by a whole list of superlatives. "It's wonderful." "It's amazing." "I'm loving it."
    They're going, and the adrenaline is flowing. And in many ways, it's a truly wonderful time.
    Simultaneously you feel like all your life has prepared you for this moment, AND like you are way in over your head.
    Because you are.
    And despite that smile, you show everyone around you, inside, you are plagued by the question: What was I thinking?
    In the next video, I'll show you that every entrepreneur eventually finds themselves asking that same question, What was I thinking? and what you can do about it today!

    Read the Article: https://bit.ly/3HiOg4Z

    Take the Free Business Lifecycle Quiz https://bit.ly/3umHWTX
    Take the Free Leadership Styles Quiz https://bit.ly/3xG0ZdS

    #business #entrepreneur #focus #people #businessowner #businesstips #businessquotes #businessgrowth #businessgoals #coach

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  • What Was I Thinking?

    What Was I Thinking?

    My favorite definition for the word entrepreneur is someone who quits working 40 hours for someone else to go work 80 hours for themself (and get paid less to do it).
    And even though we won't admit it publicly. Even though our news media and podcast heroes all celebrate the seemingly mythical wonder-world of entrepreneurism, all the fluff has a way of disappearing when you are still up at 2 am trying to finish a project, prepare a shipment, or find out how you can hang on to enough cash to make it until your next sale.
    The collective mythicizing of entrepreneurship is a profound disservice to those brave souls who were willing to put the safety of the sidelines behind them and get in the game.
    Most of us walk in blindly and are in for a rude awakening. It's for this reason that my advice for the question, "Should I start this business?" It is always, "No." If there is any other way for you to achieve the end you have in mind, take it.
    Because entrepreneurism is hard, starting something from nothing usually fails.
    But don't for a moment think that I am anti-entrepreneurism. I love entrepreneurs. I deeply respect founders. And I will bend over backward to help those who are already in the game to obtain all the success they desire. And if you choose to make the leap, I'll support you too.
    I just want you to know what you're getting into ahead of time because it's not going to be easy. We call this stage for the organization Early Struggle. And it can best be described as waking up each morning, finding a sharp object, and banging your head on it again and again.
    The goal is to stay in the game long enough to figure it out and win!
    Ok, so I've admittedly been a Debbie Downer so far because that is a message most people won't hear anywhere else. But now that you know what you're getting into, in the next video, we'll take a look at how you can succeed in the second stage of your entrepreneurial journey.

    Read the Article: https://bit.ly/3HiOg4Z

    Take the Free Business Lifecycle Quiz https://bit.ly/3umHWTX
    Take the Free Leadership Styles Quiz https://bit.ly/3xG0ZdS

    #business #entrepreneur #focus #people #businessowner #businesstips #businessquotes #businessgrowth #businessgoals #coach

    Like what you see? You can find more great content from Scale Architects here!

    Website: https://www.scalearchitects.com
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  • Succeeding as a Startup Entrepreneur

    Succeeding as a Startup Entrepreneur

    And succeeding as a startup entrepreneur in stage 2 of your founder's evolution is all about becoming the star. It's about becoming great at what you do. It's about building a better widget. Closing better deals. Marketing to those missed by the masses.
    It's about stealing victory from the jaws of defeat, and you do that by being the best yourself.
    And that is hard work, but it's a lot of fun. The better you get, the more the world opens up to you. There's recognition. There's compensation. And there's proving to the whole world you have what it takes.
    This is what makes a star a star. They do what they do better than anyone else. And that's why they win. That is, quite frankly, why they make the big bucks. They are the best of the best, and the game heavily rewards the best.
    Much effort goes into finding players with the best builds, the best stats, the best training, and the best instinct for the game. Winning is physical. It's tactile. It's concrete.
    It's all about what you can do.
    It's also not about a lot of other things. Even good things.
    You don't have to be a great leader to be a star. You don't have to be a great manager to be a star. You don't have to be a great strategist or predict every move your market will make. You don't have to think "team first." You don't have to plan every move of every play. Star players aren't encumbered by all of these other thoughts. And it is precisely that focus that makes them great at what they do.

    Read the Article: https://bit.ly/3HiOg4Z

    Take the Free Business Lifecycle Quiz https://bit.ly/3umHWTX
    Take the Free Leadership Styles Quiz https://bit.ly/3xG0ZdS

    #business #entrepreneur #focus #people #businessowner #businesstips #businessquotes #businessgrowth #businessgoals #coach

    Like what you see? You can find more great content from Scale Architects here!

    Website: https://www.scalearchitects.com
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Category: Focused Structure

About Scott Ritzheimer

Scott is passionate about helping businesses scale and achieve Predictable Success. Having helped start nearly 20,000 new businesses and nonprofits and with his business partner started and led their multimillion-dollar business through an exceptional and extended growth phase (over 10 years of double-digit growth) all before he turned 35.

Today, he’s on a mission to help train and equip coaches, consultants, and internal advisors so they can help architect incredible organizations and personally enjoy immensely rewarding careers!

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