The ManicaPost
Being an Anzisha Fellow has been the most transformative experience in my entrepreneurial journey. Here’s why!
1. Focus
There is nothing more important for any entrepreneur than focus. How far you will go in terms of achieving your goals and your vision as an entrepreneur is determined by how focused you are. Imagine taking a journey to which you have no end destination in mind; you find yourself just walking aimlessly as you go through a series of ups and downs.Focus is a key success trait, because it allows you to be able to do the right thing at the right time, make the right decisions and get access to the right resources which will make achieving the end goal easier for you. As Anzisha Fellows, one of the lessons we are taught is around focus.
To gain focus, you have to ask yourself which business are you in? Why are you in that business and what do you want to be the outcome? If you are going to achieve big then you also have to be big on focus. You can’t afford to be swayed away from your end goals.
2. Continuous learning
Whether we like it or not, even if we are the founders of the best ideas, we still have to learn and continuously enhance and develop our skills. The person that you embodied a year ago has to be different to the person that you embody now.
This does not only keep you up to date and enlightened, but it keeps you and your ideas competitive in a dynamic world. You should articulate to every life challenge with an open mind and be ready to learn from every experience. During my experience as an entrepreneur, I have realised that the more I expose myself to experts and professionals, the more my ideas get challenged and the more I learn.
3. Communication
Human beings are social beings. As an entrepreneur, you are obliged to be a serial communicator. Whether or not your team will meet goals and perform up to your expectation will be determined by how well you communicate. Investment and donations will only come if you are able to communicate your plans and your vision.
Keep your stakeholders engaged by investing your time in communication. This may not be an easy fit but it is definitely worth it. I always view every new relationship or contact as a newly cultivated field. If you ignore that field over a period of time, when you come back weeds would have taken over.
Just like networks, keep cultivating on them through communication. It is always good to over-communicate than to under communicate. Never assume your audience know what you are talking about so make sure you master the art of communication.
4. Execution
You can never be successful by not acting. Those who we know to be successful today are executors, meaning they get things done. Very often people find themselves coming up with amazing ideas and strategies which at the end of the day never see the light of day. Human beings are prey to procrastination hence we are always vulnerable.
Procrastination is also a result of being too comfortable. Always ask yourself how much you want something and if you want it so much, then you need to work on it no later than now. Sometimes the only way to start is to focus on the, “what if this actually goes well,” phrase.
Most people end up not executing because of the fear of the unknown, but this is what only makes you an entrepreneur, taking risks. If you can’t take risks the entrepreneurial way of life is not yours. Trust me, the best satisfaction on your journey as an entrepreneur is when you actually get things done. So do not wait, close the deals now.
5. Remain human
No matter what level of achievement you attain, always remember that it is a team effort. Many entrepreneurs get carried away by short-lived events and forget that all their future business success is going to be on the basis of real and strong relations with people in their businesses.
Remaining humble and human in your interactions will earn you respect that you can never buy with any amount of money. No matter what business you may be in; education, technology, food, agriculture or fashion, at the end of the day, you are in the business of people.
