Hold Up – I Create Businesses Because I Want to Win (Too)

I know why I’m doing what I’m doing, however, I know that I recite a rehearsed speech that gives only part of the true reasons. Of course, that should almost be expected given the reasons are many and diverse, and frankly, sharing it all within a few minutes would be a hard endeavor. I suppose that’s why I should start working on my elevator pitch again… my personal elevator pitch.

As of now, I recant aspects of how I’m amazed by my dad and my former boss for giving jobs. I recall seeing families at soccer games and Disney World. All impressive, and all things I want to do through building a company and creating jobs, too.

I also share stories of others uprooting their lives on missions to Africa to build homes for so many months. How great is that? I’m not one to do it myself, but I want to empower those who want to do that through a company by incorporating strong humanitarian mission and value into a company’s culture. Super.

Finally, I also share how I want to be a builder and an author to Atlanta’s story. I want those who think of Atlanta, think of the large corporations like UPS, Delta, Coke, etc., and of course, you have the startup scene. I want people to think of my name and/ or companies’ names as synonymous to Atlanta. Yada, yada, yada…

But I also incorporate a sliver of myself being a bit controlling or being competitive somewhere in my current pitch. I downplay this, but in actuality, it’s very important, too. It’s a strong, strong reason for what I’m doing… but I also am thinking that to sum up the other side... the more selfish side of creating businesses… and that is, I want to WIN.

See, the truth is that everything I say is most definitely true, but I also know I’m a bit narcissistic, and I not only want to be the Best, I also oftentimes believe I’m the Best. That’s not to say that people aren’t better than me. Heck no! There are tons who are faster, stronger, smarter, savvier in business… but I can’t help myself but enter a room thinking I’m the best. Yet, I know that I must balance this with some humility because, again, truth is that there are many better than me in a lot of ways. It’s a strange thing, but believing I’m the best (or wanting to be) pushes me to do greater. It could be the simple mindset that there are others who are or will be looking up to me, so as a role model, I better exemplify the model. Or it could be that I know the best people I know don’t cut corners around XYZ, so if I’m the Best, then I shouldn’t. Or if the best athlete I know can play ball with the flu and do well? Okay, I see you. I’ve got a flu, too. Game on.

To those who know me, they know I love to be in some control. There are many things that are out of my control, but what I do, is try to frame up parts of my life so that I can push more things into my control. If I can do that, then perhaps I can limit the risk of the outside world interfering or debauching my goals. If I’m to fail, it’s my fault, not the world’s. It’s not others’ reasons. It’s my own. I’m okay with that, and I embrace that. Because if those failures, whatever they may be, are in my control, then I can pick myself up, brush myself off, learn, and try again. It’s maybe my way of being persistent, or rather, staying persistent.

And of course, there’s the notion of WINNING. I used to be pretty competitive with a lot more things including co-ed soccer. As I’ve grown older and fine-tuned my message and my goals, I’ve shifted gears to prioritize what does matter and what doesn’t. Read: I win what I want and what matters… to me. I originally just typed “I try to win”, but that just seems flaky and weak. So I omitted the weakest link, and now, that’s how I feel. I win. I want to build companies because yeah, it’s hard shit. There are so many people, companies who fail every year, and I want to overcome those many, numerous hurdles to SUCCEED… to WIN.

Starting a business pits you against the weak and the strong, the small and the big. Starting a business puts you in a multi-ring fight against other companies, people, and even yourself. I don’t want to say you making a sell is like winning because it’s not all win/ lose or black/ gray (0/ 1). It’s not binary. However, I love the feeling that sometimes in a potential sales call or even a cold call or just pitching, it’s my chance to show off what a great company I (we) have started and what a great product/ service we offer. I love when the client says, “Yes, we’ll sign up.” It justifies what I’m trying to accomplish, and it feels like winning because we started with “nothing” (not in the “Drake” way, but mostly in the real way with no product or service) and now, someone is willing to part with hard-earned money to buy into what I’ve (we’ve) created.

I know there are thousands (millions?) of companies out there doing things… many great things. Sure. They’re solving problems, but the narcissistic side of me also believes that many of these companies doing great things aren’t doing it quite good enough. Or maybe they ARE good, but I can be better. I can be the best. I see a problem, and I see how to solve it THIS way. Trust me. It’s a better way. I mean that’s what most entrepreneurs are really doing anyways, right? We believe we hold the key to solving the world’s problem because whoever’s addressing it now really isn’t. Hence, there’s a gap, and I’m going to fill it, and then some. I’m down for that.  

I want to stand at the front of a group and lead them to whatever glory turns out to be in the business world. And heck, starting a business isn’t just a “work” thing. It’s a life thing, too. I want a business that doesn’t necessarily feel like work, but it’s very much embedded in my LIFE. It’s an aspect of life that’s so engrained in everyday, that it’s okay. It’s not taboo and it shouldn’t be looked down upon. The winning mentality is one that emanates throughout all aspects of my life, I feel. I shouldn’t just silo work like starting or running a business to weekdays. Instead, I should just (I’m thinking “compartmentalize”, but that’s not the right word) put priorities on the things that matter. And when one of those life aspects is the priority of the moment, then that’s what I focus on. When I’m with friends, then I’m not thinking work. I’m not checking my phone for emails. I’m with friends.

So yeah, I have a great pull to use companies I’ve started as vehicles to change the world for greater. It’s humanitarian, and it’s genuine. However, I’m also in this to win. That mentality of winning should be stronger in my message, and I shouldn’t downplay it thinking I should only share the people side… the external side. After all, if I want to win, I probably want others to know about it, too.