“What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.” – Abraham Maslow

• This addresses one big purpose in writing “The Second Decision: The Qualified Entrepreneur.” Let’s say your start-up phase was a glowing success – or, at least, it came naturally to you. Even for phenomenally popular start-ups, what you think you understand about your business will change. That’s because the start-up phase is quite different from the sustainability and continued growth phase.

“Don’t let your ego get too close to your position, so that if your position gets shot down, your ego doesn’t go with it.” – Colin Powell

• During the excitement of The First Decision – the one where you fell in love with your current business – an entrepreneur’s ego can be of great use. Your name and reputation are on the line, and much of the time you must make decisions and execute operations on your own. But in order to continue growth and success, you’ll have to admit that many things are best delegated to others, who may do better than you. That will likely be their specialty!

“The truth was, I didn’t know what I didn’t know (IDKWIDK).” – Randy Nelson (Yours truly)

• Eight years into my business career, my wife asked me a simple-but-pointed question: “Do you know what you’re doing?” Before replying, “Yes – of course!” I had to admit the following: IDKWIDK. You don’t have to pretend to know everything. In fact, admitting what you don’t know probably means you’re hungry to learn more.

“In reading the lives of great men (and women), I found the first victory was over themselves… self-discipline with all of them came first.”
– Harry S. Truman

• By creating a business, you’ve somehow (and inadvertently) decided to create a whole new set of problems for yourself. Pretty much every necessary aspect of it – despite your love for the project – is either a potential or actual problem. You, as the entrepreneur, the leader, must filter all major decisions. If you don’t have self-discipline, from responding to issues in a timely manner to maintaining control over your emotions, everything else may quickly spin out of control.

“To command is to serve, nothing more and nothing less.” – Andre Malraux

As the founder, the CEO, the entrepreneur, the “Big Shot” – what is your role? Who are you? Yes, you are the creator, but you’re creation is in constant need of attention and TLC. You are nothing without your customers and those who make the business run – your employees. Another way of putting it comes from Sam Walton: “There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.”