Page 81 - The Bootstrapper Bible

ChangeThis WIT Capital is an online company dedicated to raising money for other startups. But it used to be a brewery! The brewery did an IPO (initial public offering) online, enjoyed the process, and decided to make that the company focus. Talk about a shift in perspective. Obviously, you have to walk a very fine line between succumbing to all the latest fads and digging in while the world changes completely around you. Thatʼs why business-objective discussions need only happen once every 90 days or so. It makes it easy to focus on your work all of the rest of the time. RULE 5: ASSOCIATE WITH WINNERS Four groups of people will dramatically influence how your business evolves: » Customers » Employees » Vendors » Peers Line yourself up with the wrong people in each category and, like a poorly created bonsai tree, your business will grow up twisted and misshapen. An angry big customer can force you to make concessions youʼll be sorry you agreed to. Same thing with difficult vendors or pout- ing employees. CUSTOMERS Some customers are demanding, focused, responsive bellwethers for the market. After creat- ing something for these customers, youʼll discover lots of other customers wanting to buy something just like that. | iss. 6.01 | i | U | X | + | h 81/103 f