Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I can lean either way.
I do agree with CampSteve, the ideas that really excite me tend to be the "big concept" ones.
What I do find kind of annoying is there seems to be a prejudice in the business community that if you don`t "Go Big," that you`re some type of failure. Hey. Even if you start something up and it goes down in a flaming Hiddenburgesque wreckage, I won`t even call you a failure. I`d bet that fear of failure keeps more people from starting it up than things like money and time. I think I am misquoting Nietzsche: End the fear of failure and behold the failure of fear.

FLying around makes me happy... if a bigger gust of wind helped me fly higher why not Soar? I believe the act of positive thinking helps the process of Go Big happen...If you can attain Big - why not? (coming from a wee place..lol)

While I do have short term goals (things that absolutely need to happen to get to the next level) I always have a bigger picture in my mind as the carrot in front of my nose. I don`t know if I will ever bring some of these ideas to fruition - and I will not feel like a failure if I don`t. At this point they are business goals that help me to get through the day to day tasks because it gives me something to strive for.

In terms of measuring success, I am just looking for steady income and be able to continue to design and launch products for children. On a personal level, I would love to eventually reach out to organizations such as children`s hospitals. Nothing would make me happier than the opportunity to share time doing a project with these kids with the hope that they might forget about their illnesses if only for a few minutes.

• Where this thread differentiates from ScrapBizKim`s question on action-based "going big or go home," is on the basis of Concept versus Action Plan.
  

I too, see that so many traditional business model people want to eliminate the life-style choice of putting together a small business. But what I wanted to highlight as a parallel thread is that a *concept* is like a vision.

If you have a small vision, you end up with a small result, no matter how much you think it can be huge. But if you have a large concept, you can choose either to keep it small, or "allow" it to grow as large as it possibly can go.

It`s about the choosing. :-)

I am in the same boat as Steve. I have to remind myself that every thought need not turn into a project. To keep it simple. But it seems that then i am not feeling as excited or passionate about what i am doing. I like to help people, sometimes I wonder if I should of just been a volunteer in a charity or a traveling philanthropist. I really come alive when i see people succeed, it is what i am passionate about so to incorporate what I have done, what I have built, my business is just a natural transition. I have been helping folks in life and in business as a business since 2002. Before that I was helping my husband succeed in his business and before that i was busting my but at any place i worked to help that business succeed. Since 2002 I have made it hard because of my own generousity to make barely a profit. I didn`t care if someone had money to pay me or not, i would help them. I learned a couple of years ago that I was not being fair to myself and had to figure out how to make money at what i do without feeling the guilt of taking money....my friends say I must have a worth issue???? I like myself but I always seemed to be giving myself away, so maybe some of that is true. I just think I am nice, i guess. Anyway, i figured out a "big idea" and have been trying to bring it to fruition. I offer a value of service and ask back a fair cost in return on a larger level, to reach as many folks as I can and to help them to help themselves to succeed. The bigger the idea, seems like the more time, energy, red tape, monet is involved. I definately have been feeling frustrated some days. But I smile when i think of my idea being able to help other folks "big ideas". So It pushes me along and i persevere. I have moments where I look at my daughter and husband and say to myself "I have a choice, i have an option...i could be a stay at home mom if i want to and do nothing else but be a great Mom and a wife and friend to my husband". Then i just don`t feel right. There are some things you feel as a person that you must do, you must accomplish and you really don`t have a choice. I am sure my house would stay cleaner, my daughter would enjoy more time with her mommy and my husband would eat up all the home cooked meals if i just gave up my "big ideas". But they know better, I know better. I will say that building upon a business idea, costs alot of time and money. I wonder when the latter will start growing and not shrinking everytime i go to the bank. There are so many people and things to pay for in business, and then there is the mortgage and daycare and all that other fun stuff. So here is to the BIG IDEA!! May they be well worth it!!

Erin (thanks for letting me let that out!!)